Few races seem beyond Cherry Tortoni at his best and this often frustrating son of Night Of Thunder (IRE) was at the top of his game in Saturday’s $200,000 Listed Bet365 Golden Mile at Bendigo.
Ridden by Michael Dee for trainer Patrick Payne, stormed down the outside to defeat the Zoffany gelding Hi Stranger by three-quarters of a length with the Savabeel gelding Milford a half length back in third.
It was the fourth stakes win for Cherry Tortoni, who advances his record to six wins, three seconds, and two thirds from 19 starts, with earnings of $924,925.
“It was a strong field, it was no pinch. He had to be at his best, but he was much better with blinkers on, and he got the right run,” Payne said.
“He’s a very genuine horse and he’s maybe tagged with a little bit of a stink next to his name, but he’s a very honest horse and he’s still only a young horse, he’s only a four-year-old.
“I was thinking there might be a race for him in Adelaide, but we’ll just wait and see. As I said, he’s only a young horse and we don’t need to rush him.”
Dee believes the gelsing is racing in career best form.
“He was massive, He’s been absolutely flying this whole prep and building very nicely for coming here today,” Dee said.
“The only concern for myself was the barrier draw, but I had full faith in Patrick and his team and the way Cherry is going at the moment.”
Cherry Tortoni is the best of three winners from as many to race out of the Strategic mare Tortoni (Strategic), who is a half-sister to the 13-time Group 1 winner Tie The Knot (Nassipour), who banked $6.2 million when trained by the late Guy Walter.
Also, a half-sister to the Listed winners Hood (Shamardal) and Dream Ballad (Singspiel), Tortoni is the final foal of the Group 1 VATC One Thousand Guineas heroine Whisked (Whiskey Road).
Tortoni has an unraced 2yo filly by Churchill (IRE) named Jenny Jerome. She has a yearling filly by Mendelssohn (USA) and a weanling dolt by Too Darn Hot (GB).
She was covered by Pierro last spring but missed.
