Stepping up from a fourth on debut in the Listed VRC Talindert Stakes (1100m), the Ben Brisbounre trained Toronado (IRE) filly Grinzinger Heart turned the tables on the favourite, leading throughout to win the G2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at just her second start.
Beaten on debut by Sires’ Produce Stakes favourite Zambles (Pinatubo), the Craig Williams-ridden filly was away well from barrier four in the ten-horse field, going forward to lead with the Ciaron Maher trained Inner Gold settling in second.
With the favourite strung up a little, three back on the rail, Grinzinger Heart was getting all the favours out in front as she led the field into the home straight.
When the field started to fan and those who had settled off the pace started to make their runs, Grinzinger Heart continued to fight, and when Zambles ambled up alongside her, and looked like he would go past, the leader stuck her head out to win.
Working home well for third, the Tony and Calvin McEvoy trained Expensive taste looks another who will improve over ground.
Trainer Ben Brisbounre has always held this filly in high regard.
“We've always liked the filly and we were happy to have a go at the stars and bring her down here, she’s a nice, beautiful filly, enthused Brisbourne. “I just said to Craig before we went out, I think she's grown an inch in the last two weeks.”
“And Craig got it right. He sat on this filly five weeks ago now in a jump out or trial at Caulfield. Told me he was going to win the Oaks on it in the Spring. And look, she's a group two winner now, so there's only one way to go.”
“I'm very grateful to John (Wheeler, owner/breeder). He's so loyal to me the last three or four years. He's been a real help; he appeared when we just needed someone to step up and put a better stamp of horse into the stable and this filly, he bought himself up his own back at Gold Coast last year and I was very grateful for it to come to my system.”
As for where the filly may head now, she may be off for a break.
“I would imagine long game, but I will have a chat to Craig and John to see what they like to do. But she's a Group Two winner now, so she's only got one more notch to go up.”
In what was the first leg of back to back stakes race victories for Craig Williams, the jockey was extremely please with the effort of the filly.
“Obviously John (Wheeler) is a great contributor to racing, his health’s not always the greatest and it’s great that he’s going to the sales now buying more horses, they’re very famous colours in our racing and he’s put in for so long, it’s great to win in his colours.
“Ben Brisbourne has done a great job, produced her to me one day in a jump out at Caulfield, I loved her, I just didn’t think she was quite quick enough for those early two-year-old races and subsequently she ran in the Talindert against the sprinting horses and then today she delivered, so credit to him and his training.
“It was a great effort by her… I saw Godolphin blue colours coming, we actually targeted the horse for this race and the Golden Slipper as well and Andy Makiv said he reminds me of Von Costa De Hero, and I won this race on Von Costa De Hero and then ran second in the Slipper - but girl, you beat them so well done.”
Breaking her maiden with victory at G2 level, the daughter of Toronado took her earnings to $198,975, a great return on the $110,000 purchase by John Wheeler from the Lustre Lodge draft at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale.
Grinzinger Heart is the third winner and first at black type level from four to the races out of the O'Reilly mare Veravarti, a half-sister to G1 winner Sharvasti and the G3 winenrs Bhandara and Shastri.
It’s clearly a family of the move with Banjora, the I Am Invincible 4yo out of the having recorded his third win recently from as many starts. Veravarti’s Russian Revolution yearling unfortunately died after birth, while the mare foaled a filly by Capitalist in the spring before being covered by Hellbent.
Grinzinger Heart became the 49th stakes winner for Swettenham Stud’s Torando and interestingly just his first Australian 2yo stakes winner.
Toronado will be represented by 12 lots at the upcoming Inglis Easter yearling sale.
