He’s the highest priced yearling ever sired by Swettenham Stud’s in form young sire Toronado (IRE) and he returned from a spell to score an impressive win at Bendigo on Wednesday.
Prepared by Team Hawkes, three year-old gelding Masked Crusader bolted in at his second start at Caulfield last December and was immediately sent to the paddock.
He reappeared today in a Benchmark 70 event over 1000 metres as hot favourite and hit the line hard after being held up to score a soft length victory.
A $340,000 Inglis Premier purchase from the Gilgai Farm daft for Hawkes Racing / Cameron Cooke Bloodstock, Masked Crusader has been given plenty of time and with two wins from three starts looks primed to have a great career next season.
Bred by Gilgai Farm, who have had previous success selling to Team Hawkes with Champion 3YO All Too Hard, Masked Crusader is a half-sister to stakes-placed Outlaw Kate and is from speedy stakes-winner She’s Got Gears, a daughter of Invincible Spirit (IRE).
Gilgai Farm had a big result at Magic Millions earlier this year selling a Sebring colt from She’s Got Gears for $825,000 to China Horse Club/Newgate Bloodstock/ Stonestreet.
She’s Got Gears had no foal last year and is now in foal to another son of Toronado’s sire High Chaparral in Dundeel.
Toronado has been in hot form of late siring 10 winners since the start of the month.
