Tarzino Gelding Wins $500,000 Country Cups Final

Media Release - Saturday November 16

The Paul Preusker-trained Torranzino has come from near last to score a narrow victory in the A$500,000 Hyland Victorian Country Cups Final (2000m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

The five-year-old son of Tarzino was the first emergency and gained a start care of the scratching of You Betcha Woo.

Going back from the widest barrier of 15, Torranzino carried 52kgs with Celine Gaudray’s claim, and worked into the race at the right time, coming widest to defeat Charterhouse and the game Arran Bay.

Torranzino scores a narrow victory in the A$500,000 Hyland Victorian Country Cups Final (2000m) at Caulfield on Saturday.  Photo: Bruno Cannatelli

Torranzino has been in work since May and the quirky yet talented galloper has now won A$512,540 in prizemoney.   

“He’s been a handful,” the Preusker said. “He’s brutal tough. Emily who rides him all the time at home - I chime in every now and then - she does well persevering. Quite a difficult horse but in saying that a good galloper.

“He’ll go home tonight, he’ll eat, and he’ll be bucking tomorrow. That’s just him. Whether he’s mentally quite right, I don’t know, but anyway we’ll keep plodding along and I thought if he won today we might go to the Ballarat Cup.”

Advertisement

The A$500,000 Listed Ballarat Cup (2000m) is on December 7. 

“They’ve done a terrific job with this horse,” Gaudray said. “He still does a bit wrong. He wants to over-race and wobble around. I had to do my best to keep him straight. He does want to lay in.

“We drew a sticky gate and we always planned to come out neutral but he had a bit of toe about him today so I had to get him to relax and the track is starting to deteriorate on the inside and I was probably on the better part of the surface.”

By Westbury Stud stallion Tarzino, Torranzino was bred by Payne Family Racing Pty Ltd. He is the first foal to race out of the Helmet mare Goldilicious, who is a half-sister to the Group Three winner Showbeel, who in turn is out of Champion Stayer Showella.

Torranzino was offered by Janine Dunlop’s Phoenix Park as a yearling in Book 1 of Karaka 2021, where Preusker bought him for $75,000. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment

Race Result - Hyland Victorian Country Cups Final 2000m

Caulfield Track: Good(4) Time: 2:02.92
1
Torranzino
- 5g Tarzino (NZ) x Goldilicious (NZ) (Helmet (AUS))
Tnr: P A Preusker Rdr: Celine Gaudray 52
2
0.3
Charterhouse
- 7g Charming Thought (GB) x Crocus Rose (GB) (Royal Applause (GB))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: M Zahra 58
3
0.5
Arran Bay
- 6g All Too Hard (AUS) x Stolen Girlfriend (AUS) (Canny Lad (AUS))
Tnr: P Stokes Rdr: L Nolen 60.5
4
2
Claim The Crown
- 6g Acclamation (GB) x Crown Light (GB) (Zamindar (USA))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald Rdr: Jett Stanley 51
5
2.2
Sunsets
- 4g Dundeel (NZ) x Waterloo Sunset (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: T Busuttin & N Young Rdr: D Moor 53
6
2.3
Keats
- 8g Galileo (IRE) x Airwave (GB) (Air Express (IRE))
Tnr: Gavin Bedggood Rdr: Jamie Kah 58
7
3.5
Picaroon
- 7m Fiorente (IRE) x Naughty Moments (AUS) (Dr Green (NZ))
Tnr: Tom Dabernig Rdr: Tom Madden 53
8
3.6
Dublin Journal
- 7g Teofilo (IRE) x Ceist Eile (IRE) (Noverre (USA))
Tnr: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes Rdr: Jye McNeil 53
9
5.1
New York Hurricane
- 5g Manhattan Rain (AUS) x Al Dhakira (USA) (Elusive Quality (USA))
Tnr: Liam Howley Rdr: M J Dee 53
10
5.2
Lottaroc
- 6g El Roca (AUS) x Lotta Luv (NZ) (Dubawi (IRE))
Tnr: D M Noonan Rdr: Teodore Nugent 53
11
5.7
Mystery Island
- 8g Victoire Pisa (JPN) x Mystique (GER) (Monsun (GER))
Tnr: Shane Jackson Rdr: Craig Williams 55
12
12.7
Jimi Hendrix
- 6g New Bay (GB) x Planchart (USA) (Gio Ponti (USA))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald Rdr: J Mott 59
13
13.5
Milford
- 7g Savabeel (AUS) x Etiquette (NZ) (O'reilly (NZ))
Tnr: Michael Moroney & Glen Thompson Rdr: Declan Bates 58.5
14
13.8
Win O'clock
- 8g Australia (GB) x Gee Kel (IRE) (Danehill Dancer (IRE))
Tnr: Tori Madigan Rdr: Ms J Kennedy 53
15
25.8
Bonny Ezra
- 9g Road To Rock (AUS) x Ascolini (NZ) (Bertolini (USA))
Tnr: Ms R Frost Rdr: C Newitt 54.5
More Reading...
New Group Winner for Tarzino in Easter Cup
For the second year in a row, Horsham trainer Paul Preusker has won the A$200,000 Group III Tobin Brothers Celebrating Lives Easter Cup (2000m) at Caulfield with a New Zealand-bred.
MM Gold Coast Horses In Training Sale Links
Tuesday saw the final breeze ups at the Gold Coast for the Magic Millions Horses In Training Sale which starts on Thursday so here’s our links to useful data including the pinhook report, with most lots having been sold previously.
Pedigree Potential –NZB Ready to Run – Nicks that Click
A quality packed catalogue for the 2025 NZB Ready to Run Sale is now online and in the lead up to the sale we’ll go looking each week for some horses of interest that jump out on pedigree for various reasons.
National Thoroughbred Week invites support through GoFundMe campaign
National Thoroughbred Week (NTW) is calling on the thoroughbred community and broader public to be part of history, with the launch of a GoFundMe campaign to help bring this inaugural celebration to life.
City Win for Kiwi Bred Tarzino 3YO
Eight days after scoring a maiden victory at Warracknabeal, talented Tarzino three-year-old Torranzino graduated to city company and delivered the same result in Saturday’s A$150,000 Neds Punters Toolbox Handicap (2000m) at Caulfield.
Hot Lots Day 1 - Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1
The Tattersalls October Yearling Sale (October 7 – 9) kicks off tonight our time and for those interested in the number one  yearling sale in Europe we are taking a look at some of the yearlings tipped to top each day and they include a colt from an Aussie G1 winner.
One to Watch - Warwick Farm
Tassort produced an impressive winner at Warwick Farm on Monday carrying the Trilogy Racing colours that looks well up to a far better grade than this public holiday Monday meeting.
OTI Racing officially enters New Zealand market
OTI Racing is officially going trans-Tasman, with the Australian syndicator becoming a licensed New Zealand syndicator this week.
Wrote SW on Comeback Trail
Robbie Patterson had high Classic hopes for Read About It last season before his rising young star’s progress was halted by illness.
2025 G1 Caulfield Guineas Field and Barrier Draw
A full field plus emergencies have accepted for the $3million Group I MRC Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on Saturday with Golden Rose runners Wodeton, Autumn Boy, Nepotism and Rivellino all engaged.