Tofane claims Group Three win at Caulfield

A week after a filly in her family raced to a Group One win at Randwick, four-year-old mare Tofane (NZ) (Ocean Park) has claimed a valuable stakes race victory of her own at Caulfield.

The Mike Moroney-trained Tofane unleashed a powerful turn of foot under jockey Dwayne Dunn to sweep past her rivals at the business end of Saturday's Gr.3 Bass Strait Beef Steaks (Northwood Plume Stakes), winning the 1200m race for mares by a length.

Lightly raced Tofane was runner-up at Group Two level in the Euclase Stakes (1200m) in Adelaide last season and Saturday's victory was important as it was her first at stakes level.

"Especially with Funstar coming out last week and winning a Group One, she's a very valuable mare now," Moroney said.

Tofane's dam Baggy Green is a three-quarter sister to last Saturday's Gr.1 Flight Stakes (1600m) winner Funstar (Adelaide) and also a half-sister to last year's Queensland Oaks winner Youngstar (High Chaparral).

Tofane, by Ocean Park, defeated subsequent Blazer Stakes winner Haut Brion Her (Zoustar) over 1200m at The Valley two starts ago before failing at her most recent start in the How Now Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield last start.

Moroney decided to keep the mare at 1200m and that decision was rewarded, with Tofane defeating $3.70 favourite Manicure (Exceed and Excel).

"That's the turn of foot that we know she's got," Moroney said.

"She's going to be really exciting."

Bred by Curraghmore’s Gordon Cunningham, Tofane was sold privately to Ballymore stables. She continues a fantastic run for Waikato Stud stallion Ocean Park who also sired last weekend’s Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) winner Kolding (NZ).

“I bought the mare Baggy Green a good few years ago,” Cunningham said. “She was good to me, we sold a Pierro out of her privately last year, and she had this Ocean Park filly who was very good looking.

“We had her (Tofane) in work with Pam Gerard last year and she won very impressively in her trial. We subsequently sold her and were rewarded with a good price.”

“It is lovely that she has fulfilled our opinion of her and Mike was happy to recommend her to good clients of his and now they have been rewarded.”

Baggy Green was later sold to Valachi Downs principal Kevin Hickman who sold a Pins colt out of the mare earlier this year at the New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale for $85,000.

“It is great to see Ocean Park fulfilling his potential now,” Cunningham said. “They obviously take a bit of time and like most New Zealand-bred horses, if you are patient you are rewarded.”