Tofane, Converge Capture Group 1 Events in Australia

Jockey Craig Williams' determination to gain the ride on group 1 winner Tofane was rewarded when the valuable mare won the June 12 Stradbroke Handicap (G1), her second victory at the highest level, potentially staving off her racetrack retirement by 12 months.

Melbourne trainer Mike Moroney elected to not overtax the rising 6-year-old daughter of Ocean Park, last year's All Aged Stakes (G1) winner, due to an injury setback after her spring preparation which saw her resume in the Sapphire Stakes (G2) in April before venturing to Queensland for the carnival. 

She was runner-up to Emerald Kingdom in the May 22 BRC Sprint (G3) at Doomben before being given three weeks between runs and landing an AU$900,000 payday Saturday at Eagle Farm in the state's richest race.

"When Phillip Stokes decided Instant Celebrity  wasn't going to come up here, after Tofane's last run I said, 'Get me on that horse, please. I really think she can win the race for us'," Williams said. "I loved the way Mike had spaced her runs. She's now a dual group 1-winning mare. 

"I had to try to restrain her throughout the race and she got a bit inconvenienced throughout but she was really strong late." 

Williams settled Tofane ($12) in behind the tempo in the 1,400-meter (seven furlong) event and was able to overhaul Kingsford-Smith Cup (G1) winner Vega One in the final strides to win by half a length. Signore Fox was a short neck away in third.

Connections of Tofane made the last-minute decision to withdraw the mare from the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, where she was expected to make at least AU$2 million, to instead race her on for at least the Queensland winter carnival.

Part-owner Rupert Legh suggested last week that Tofane could still be sold prior to the start of the breeding season but that could now be off the cards for another season.

"We were at the sales only three weeks ago to make a decision whether we sold her or not," Legh said Saturday. "Fortunately, I was outvoted by the other owners and here she is today winning another group 1.

"Mike has been trying to get this horse to a mile plus. If you look at the pedigree, it suggests she can get to 2,000 meters so who knows, we might be running in the Cox Plate in October this year." 

Tofane was purchased privately in New Zealand by Moroney and Legh from Curraghmore's Gordon Cunningham after she showed above-average ability in a 3-year-old maiden barrier trial at Te Teko in September 2018.

Having finished runner-up on her first start under the new ownership she would go on to win a Ballarat maiden before gaining important black type in the Euclase Stakes (G2) during a four-start first racing preparation.

Tofane is one of three winners for Baggy Green, a Galileo  close sister to group 1 winner Funstar and a half sister to another group 1 winner in Youngstar and the stakes-placed Eleven Seconds.

Baggy Green has an unraced 2-year-old colt by Reliable Man  named Benaud, who is in training with John O'Shea and wears Carl Holt's royal blue and red colors also adorned by stablemate Lost And Running and the Annabel Neasham-trained import Zaaki , winner of the Q22 (G2).

Now owned by Kevin and Jo Hickman's Valachi Downs, she has a weanling sister to Tofane and returned to Waikato Stud's Cox Plate (G1) winner Ocean Park last year.

Frankel's Converge Toys with Rivals in J J Atkins

Adrian Bott is daring to dream after pint-sized European-bred juvenile Converge asserted his racetrack authority in the last 2-year-old group 1 race of the season, the 1,400-mete J J Atkins Plate (G1), a race that has a history of unearthing elite 2-year-olds.

The Hong Kong-owned son of (Frankel ), a horse purchased in utero with hopes of becoming a stallion prospect, landed the AU$1 million J J Atkins, which has been won in the past by the likes of The Autumn Sun,  Press Statement, Sizzling , and Darci Brahma .

"He's such a genuine horse. He's not the biggest horse in the stable by any means, but he's got the biggest heart," said Bott, who trains in partnership with Gai Waterhouse. "He's the most honest horse we've got and now he's got an explosive turn of foot to go with it, so it's dangerous. We can really go home and dream tonight what could be possible for his 3-year-old career.

"If he continues to develop physically, and improving every time he steps out like today, well then we've certainly got a lot ahead."

Favored Converge, who came from back in the field to unleash an impressive finishing burst, had three and a quarter lengths to spare on runner-up Giannis, while Tiger Of Malay was just behind in third.  

Tim Clark was arguably unlucky on Converge when he made up a lot of ground to run second to Tiger Of Malay in the BRC Sires' Produce Stakes (G2) and the jockey believes it may have helped connections establish the best way to ride the gelding.

"We learned a bit with him the other day that he's versatile," Clark said. "If we need to go to Plan B, which we did the other day, then he's still able to adapt.

"He's done an amazing job, he's been through the Sydney carnival and Gai and Adrian gave him that little freshen up before coming up here. Obviously we saw what he did the other day and it's definitely redemption today after just getting beat last time.

"We got it right in the big one and it's very satisfying and it's obviously great to win another big race for Gai and Adrian."

Bott joined Waterhouse in a training partnership in 2016 as part of a succession plan for Tulloch Lodge. Waterhouse sold the stables and training business to Adrian's father Tony Bott's Hong Kong client, Mr P K Sui, but the Hall Of Fame inductee has remained as the senior partner since.

The pair has trained 11 group 1 winners since joining forces, including last year's Golden Slipper Stakes (G1) with Farnan.

Converge is the first foal out of the placed European mare Conversely, a daughter of Shamardal  who was purchased by Evergreen Park Stud on behalf of Sui from Coolmore Stud in Ireland when in foal to Frankel carrying the J J Atkins Plate winner. 

Conversely, who has a rising 2-year-old colt by Churchill  and a weanling colt by Invader , is one of seven named foals out of U.S. grade 3 winner Melhor Ainda  (Pulpit ). 

She is currently in foal to Divine Prophet, but Tony Bott told ANZ Bloodstock News last week that they will look to "mate her up" this year on the back of Converge's success.