Taormina could be aimed at the early spring carnival races
Tulloch Lodge filly Taormina could be aimed at the early spring carnival races after she upstaged some well-related juveniles to make a winning debut at Warwick Farm.
Co-trainer Adrian Bott said the stable had held the two-year-old in high regard since she finished third behind Sicilian and top filly Learning To Fly at the first official juvenile trials of the season, but she had needed time to mature and grow.
Taormina ($3.90) showed the benefit of that patience in the Furphy Handicap (1200m) at Warwick Farm on Wednesday, leading throughout for Tim Clark to score by three-quarters of a length over Arctic Glamour ($5.50) with I Am Famous ($6.50) third.
Her trainers will let the dust settle before deciding whether to give her another, seasoning run or put her on ice for an early spring tilt.
“She has taken a little bit of time but good to see her put in a strong performance like that and back up the early ability she’d shown,” Bott said.
“I think we can aim up with her. I do think she’s a quality type and capable of getting to a better level, whether we look to give her another run to condition her over the winter, we’ll monitor to see what races are coming up.
“If not, we may just look to keep her freshened up and look for some of those early spring targets. It comes around pretty quickly.”
Taormina is handily bred being a daughter of Written Tycoon out of an Exceed And Excel mare and fetched $450,000 as a Magic Millions yearling.
However, the pre-race interest centred around two of the other debutantes in the race, third placegetter I Am Famous and fifth placed Waterski.
The former is a half-sister to 2020 Everest winner Classique Legend and sold for $2 million at last year’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, while Waterski is a Godolphin homebred and a three-quarter relation to their dual Group 1 winner Trekking.
Both ran creditably without threatening the winner.
Taormina continues an outstanding two-year-old season for Gai Waterhouse and Bott, giving the training partners their 32nd juvenile win for 2022-23.
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 28, 2023
More Racing News
Ciaron Maher eyes four entrants for VRC St Leger
The champion stayer trainer Ciaron Maher counts one horse already locked in for Saturday's Listed VRC St Leger at Flemington, but he is pushing for substantially more involvement in the key event.Among the 28 declarations for the $200,000 2800-metre race are Awesome Artist, Noble Falcon, Intervened, and Tasmanian Derby champion...
New Zealand's Confesara eyes victory in Australasian Oaks
The track record of Roger James in capturing Australian Group 1 events for three-year-old fillies goes all the way back to the beginning of the 2000s, and he seeks to add to that tally this coming Saturday.Teaming up with co-trainer Robert Wellwood, the Kiwi conditioner has entered Confesara for the...
Adelaide hosts Niance's campaign launch
Grahame Begg, the trainer, is travelling to Adelaide featuring his capable mare Niance, potentially opening doors to a Brisbane-focused campaign for the quick runner.Since Flemington lacks fitting sprint races for Niance on Saturday, Begg chooses the Group 3 John Hawkes Stakes (1100m) held at Morphettville.By chance, Flemington's Anzac Day schedule...
Cap Ferrat set for reunion with Williams in Queen Elizabeth II Cup
The top jockey Craig Williams seeks to conclude a demanding weekend on a high note with a Group 1 win in Hong Kong, reuniting with 2025 Hong Kong Derby champion Cap Ferrat in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin come April 26.On Saturday, Williams boasts almost a...
Recon hands Carey elusive Hareeba Stakes success
Pat Carey, the hometown conditioner, has banished his Hareeba Stakes hoodoo after Recon unleashed a dazzling closing effort to take out the prize at Mornington.Carey had endured ongoing frustration in the Listed Hareeba Stakes (1200m), pursuing a victory across several campaigns, notably second with Kelthorpe in 2006 and third via...
All Aged Stakes delivers Beiwacht's second elite victory
Hall of Fame conditioner Chris Waller's unbeaten autumn dominance in Sydney received a fitting finale from Godolphin's Beiwacht, who powered to a determined lead-all-the-way success versus a elite opposition in the Group 1 $1.5 million All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.In addition, Waller filled the first two...
Mornington Cup win gives Kings Valley direct entry to Caulfield Cup
Kings Valley, under the guidance of trainer Ciaron Maher, has clinched a ballot exemption for the Caulfield Cup courtesy of a gritty performance at Mornington.The Listed Mornington Cup conquest on Saturday delivers the 'Golden Ticket' access to the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) scheduled for October.Maher notched his second Mornington...
Pride stable trifecta topped by Mazu in Hall Mark Stakes
At eight years old, the exceptional Mazu maintains his sharp turn of foot and zest for competition, setting the tempo wire-to-wire for his third consecutive triumph in Saturday's Group 3 $250,000 Hall Mark Stakes (1200m).Previously, Pride's star had mastered the Hall Mark on rain-affected surfaces where he excels, but facing...
Waller's record Sydney autumn run ends with Fireball edging Champagne Stakes
Chris Waller, the celebrated Hall of Fame trainer, notched a historic Sydney Saturday Group 1 sweep as Fireball got the better of stable companion Campione D'Italia in Saturday's $1 million Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick.The autumn carnival's eighth straight (and last) Sydney Saturday of Group 1 races saw Waller...
JRA Plate victory confirms Asterix at his sharpest
The win by Asterix stood out as somewhat surprising compared to Waller's earlier triumphs, given the progressive eight-year-old gelding was dispatched at $16 into the race.Having captured the New Zealand Derby four years back, Asterix lost momentum for a period before flashing his class last summer with a win in...