Torranzino (NZ) Melbourne Cup-Bound After Geelong Cup Succes

Karaka graduate Torranzino (NZ) (Tarzino) booked his ticket to the A$10m Group One Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) on November 4 with an impressive victory in Thursday’s A$500,000 Group Three Ladbrokes Geelong Cup (2400m).

Torranzino was offered by Phoenix Park in Book 1 of Karaka 2021, where trainer Paul Preusker bought him for $75,000 through NZB's Mike Kneebone. He has now had 33 starts for six wins, nine placings and more than A$1.09m in stakes, with the prospect of even greater riches awaiting at Flemington early next month.

“I’m super excited to have a go at the Melbourne Cup, that’s what it’s all about,” Preusker said.

“He has been an unbelievable horse all the way through. He has wanted to do things his way. I have hurdle schooled him, steeple schooled him, we have locked horns plenty of times, but eventually he won and he is a happy horse now.

“Everyone knows that if you can get a chance, you’re a chance, and you learn every time you get into the Cup. I am grateful for the opportunity to go again.

“He is pretty much there now, I will just have to keep the weight off him. He is a horse that does well. He’s pretty fit now and we’ll just keep him ticking over.”

Torranzino was ridden to Thursday’s Geelong Cup success by Celine Gaudray, who took up a handy position in fourth for most of the race before presenting the six-year-old on the outside of the leaders coming up to the home turn.

Torranzino quickened better than any of his rivals down the straight and outfinished the $1.80 favourite Gilded Water (Fastnet Rock), going on to win by half a length.

“It’s so surreal,” Gaudray said. “Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always watched the Melbourne Cup. To get a ride in the race is unbelievable, and this horse really deserves his spot.

“The whole race, I was actually giggling to myself, he was travelling so well. I thought, around the 600 metres, I would let him pop out and come into it. I had so much horse underneath me, and he just took me through the line.

“I knew that if I pulled him out early enough, he would be able to run over the top of them.”

Torranzino is one of seven black-type winners for Westbury Stud stallion Tarzino (NZ), who has 19 two-year-olds catalogued for next month’s NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka, while renowned vendor and producers of Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars), Phoenix Park will offer another quality draft. 

Karaka graduates won both of the black-type races staged at Geelong on Thursday. Just over an hour before Torranzino’s Cup victory, promising staying three-year-old Azazel (NZ) (Shocking) produced a strong audition for next month’s Group One Victoria Derby (2500m) when taking out the A$200,000 Listed Roderick Insurance Brokers Geelong Classic (2200m).

Vendor	Phoenix Park
Purchaser	Mr PA Preusker (Victoria)
Breeding	Tarzino – Goldilicious
Sale	Lot 423, Karaka 2021 Book 1, $75,000
Breeder	Payne Family Racing Pty Ltd
Owner	Mr P A Preusker, Mr B R Tucker, Mr J R Burke, Mr A J Clayton, Mr D M Drum, I-Race, Mr P A Johnson, Mr H E Lee, Mr L R Follett, Mr J A MacLeod, Mrs N J Okely, Mr K A J Peach, SCT Syndications, Mr M Tobin, Mr G W Tucker, Mr T W Burdett, Mr R J Coventry, Mrs L A Gane, Grey Geese, Mr A Newall