Leading Victorian nursery Gilgai Farm had a huge result on Sunday afternoon at Inglis Premier when they sold a colt by Toronado (IRE) from Hardly Surprising for $1million to become the first seven figure yearling for his Swettenham Stud based sire.
A half-brother to metro winner The Swooper, the record setting colt for his sire is the fifth foal of Group III placed All Too Hard mare Hardly Surprising and was purchased by Andrew Williams Bloodstock / Hong Kong Bloodstock.
Gilgai Farm have had success with Toronado previously having bred and sold his Group I winner Masked Crusader, who fetched $340,000 at Inglis Premier in 2018 and went on to win $4.4million with a memorable late charging second to Nature Strip in the 2021 Everest one of his career highlights.
Toronado has become a real favourite with the Hong Kong market and has had 23 winners from 41 runners in the region headed by Group I winner Victor the Winner, Group winner Senor Toba and Classic Mile and Cup winner Helios Express.
His dam Hardly Surprising is by the Gilgai Farm bred and sold sire All Too Hard and comes from a superb European female family that has had great success in Australia to produce Group I winners Helmet and Epaulette for Godolphin. She was purchased as a yearling at Magic Millions by Dermot Farrington for Gilgai Farm back in 2016 for $250,000 and was retired lightly raced with a win and five placings from 10 starts.
Hardly Surprising lost a foal by Alabama Express last season and was then given a year off.
