With race experience on his side, having finished third on debut when beaten a length in the Listed MRC Debutant Stakes (1000m), the Ciaron Maher trained 2yo colt Toronado Valley (Too Darn Hot) kicked off Melbourne Cup day with victory in the $240,000 Group 3 VRC Darley Maribyrnong Plate (1200m).
On the second line of betting in the in the 12-horse field, jockey Ethan Brown jumped away well from gate two and settled handy on the rail, just off the leading division.
One of three runners sporting the Yulong silks, the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young trained Luna Vega (Lucky Vega) came across from the outside gate to take up the lead, while Tony and Calvin McEvoy’s Blue Point filly Saluki held the rails position after a jumping from the inside gate.
When the field reached the course proper, Brown commenced to pull Tornado Valley off the heels of Luna Vega and once the 200m mark was reach, the Too Darn Hot colt had hit the lead.
Coming from well back in the field, Clinton McDonald’s Tales Of Time made a concerted effort to chase down the leader, but Tornado Valley had too much momentum on the line, winning by just under a half length margin with Luna Vega holding on for third a length and a half away.
Secured by Bennett Racing Pty Ltd for $300,000 from the Magic Millions yearling sale draft of Rosemont Stud, Toronado Valley’s victory took his overall record to a win and a third placed effort from just two starts with $ $173,645 in earnings.
With those silks carried to Group 2 success on Saturday aboard Warnie (IRE), it was another victory for Ciaron Maher and Bennett Syndications
"It was just like a barrier trial, really. I thought he was a bit sleepy out of the gates. Wobble at the turn and was very good late,” said Maher. “It was a nice positive ride by Browny. Great job by the team.”
“Nathan Bennett and Bennett Syndications have a lot of horses in our stable and they're all quite nice. This colt is very well bred and he's got a bright future so hopefully that's the next one."
As a graduate of the Magic Millions yearling sale, the colt could possibly head towards January’s lucrative juvenile race on the Gold Coast.
"He could. He definitely could. Magic Millions is hard to pass up and he is progressive. Nice options to have."
Riding the first winner on Cup day, jockey Ethan Brown said his level of improvement from run to run was the key to the colt's success.
"It's a great feeling,” said Brown. “I was on a horse who was presented very well. He took a lot of improvement from his first up run, raced like an ultimate professional today, and had a good look at the crowd.
“He won with quite a bit of authority then. Gonna make a lovely three-year-old."
“He probably hit the front a bit soon, but I just had to use him just to get out in clear running.
“He's very responsive, he had a good look at the crowd, and he won with a bit in hand. He was just very green his first-up run, and it's a sign of a good horse.
“He's taken the right improvement. You can see he's pulled up so well, Nathan Bennett and the team, Ciaron Maher, they've got a nice horse on their hands. Ciaron assured me he'd taken a lot of improvement and he was dead right.”
Bred by Rosemont Stud, Tornado Valley is the first winner (and stakes winner) from three to the races out of the Group 1 placed Fastnet Rock mare Oklahoma Girl, a half-sister to Group 3 winner Sure Knee.
From an outstanding Group 1 family which includes Northern Meteor and Palaisipan, as well as Group 2 winner Smart Missile, the Ingham Family bred Oklahoma Girl foaled a colt by Pinatubo (IRE) last season, but after unfortunately missing to Churchill (IRE), there will be no foal this season.
Toronado Valley became the 29th individual stakes winner for the sensational Too Darn Hot, who is standing this season at a fee of $275,000 (inc. GST) at Darley Kelvinside.
