Group One winning mare Tofane (NZ) (Ocean Park) has secured a slot to run in the $15 million The Everest next month.
Tofane will run in the 1200m sprint partnered with Yulong and Ballymore Stable’s Mike Moroney is excited at the opportunity to run in the richest race in the world on turf.
“It’s a big thrill for us to partner with Yulong on this,” Moroney said.
“Mr Zhang purchased our Group One winner Alabama Express (Redoute’s Choice) earlier this year and he is just starting his stud career for him here in Victoria and I’m sure Tofane will do us all proud.”
Moroney said Tofane has come out of her first-up run in last Saturday’s Bobbie Lewis Quality at Flemington in great shape.
“I was more than satisfied with her effort under the circumstances,” Moroney said. “She had top-weight, the race wasn’t really run to suit so I thought for her to be beaten under half a length was an excellent run.
“She won the All Aged Stakes at Randwick in April after good efforts in the Galaxy and the T J Smith and she beat Gytrash home over 1200 metres in Adelaide last year so she deserves a crack at a race like The Everest.”
Bred by Curraghmore’s Gordon Cunningham, Tofane was sold privately to Ballymore stables after impressing in a trial win early in her career.
Tofane is not the first runner to represent Curraghmore in The Everest, their New Zealand Bloodstock graduate Tulip ran fifth in the 2017 edition won by Redzel. -NZ Racing Desk
