Toronado produced a new stakes winner on Sunday and also produced a new debutant 2YO winner in Victoria from a strong family, in a tight finish that added to the future prospects of first season Hanseatic.
The Danny O’Brien Ornos was making his debut, and while opening near favourite in the market, and ridden by the red hot Blake Shinn, was remarkably easy in the betting however proved too strong in a driving finish to beat Surprisatic (Hanseatic) by a head with Eternal Darkness (I Am Immortal) third.
Ornos is the fourth foal of Redoute’s Choice mare Gypsy’s Best, a problem breeder who missed or slipped in four seasons prior to Ornos, however has also left Watch Your Step, her first foal by Sepoy, who never made the races but is the dam of Group III winner and Caulfield Guineas placed Steparty who has not yet finished filling his resume.
Ornos was a $150,000 buy for her trainer Danny O’Brien from Amarina Farm at the Magic Millions Gold Coast last year.
Interestingly, the other runner in the tight finish was Surprisastic, a debutant by Rosemont Stud’s first season sire Hanseatic and lost nothing in defeat.
Hanseatic has had one winner thus far but Surprisastic became his fourth to be placed, with two of those stakes placed in Rohesia (Inglis Banner) and Bermondsey (Blue Diamond Preview) so the future is looking bright.
Surprisastic has a yearling half-brother, ironically by Toronado, to be offered by Gilgai Farms at the Inglis Premier Sale next month.
