It was a 1-2-3 for the locals in Sunday’s $250,000 Group III Ladbrokes Hobart Cup (2400m) with the Michael Trinder-trained Toorak Affair giving the Trinder family one of the rare pieces of silverware to have eluded them.
The 6yo Toorak Toff mare made it six wins from her last seven starts when she powered home under Anthony Darmanin to defeat the Hussonet mare Shady Hustle by one and a half lengths with the Glass Harmonium mare Glass Warrior a short-head back in third.
The 70-year-old Trinder still rides trackwork despite diagnosed with bladder cancer last year.
"I'm very, very proud for my late father, we tried for many years to win a Hobart Cup and I’m really ecstatic in the way the mare won and the ride she was given," Michael Trinder said.
"I've trained some great jumpers over many, many years that were grand to me. Normally on this day I would be winning the Cup hurdle but this is a different scenario and every day is a bonus and I couldn’t be happier.
"Good horses make you into great judges and she's certainly done that, I've only been there for the ride, the horse has done all the work.
"I would like to thank my son Adam, he's been a great help behind the scenes as has my wife Ann who is the backbone of the team."
Toorak Affair is now in line for a $100,000 bonus, $50,000 for the owners and $50,000 for the trainer, should she win the Launceston Cup (2400m) but Trinder would not commit to running.
"I always go one race at a time. I'll let the dust settle, enjoy the moment and make my plans later in the week,” he said.
With her first stakes win Toorak Affair advances her record to 12 wins, 6 seconds and 2 thirds from 35 starts with earnings of $352,725.
She completed a very good day for Alva Stud who consigned the Strutt Stakes winner Still A Star while Toorak Affair was in the Alva Stud drat at the 2015 Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale where she was knocked down to Kelvin Wadley for $50,000.
She is the first foal of the Redoute’s Choice mare Smooth Return who was sourced out of the Broadwater Thoroughbreds consignment by Alva Stud for just $12,000 at the 2012 Inglis Australian Easter Broodmare Sale.
Smooth Return descends from the family of Flying Spur and Encosta de Lago.
Alva Stud will consign a colt from the first crop of Alpine Eagle out of Smooth Return to the upcoming Magic Millions Tasmania Yearling Sale.
Toorak Affair is the second stakes winner for her sire Toorak Toff who entered stud at Rosemont Stud in 2012 before being relocated to Tasmania’s Kingsley Park in 2018.
