Tofane Returns to Favourite Track on Saturday

Trainer Michael Moroney believes his mare Tofane (Ocean Park-Baggy Green, by Galileo) will appreciate the roomier track at Flemington in this Saturday's Gr1 Makybe Diva Stakes, reports racingnews.co.nz. "I thought she struggled a bit around that last corner (at Caulfield)," Moroney said. "Just the way the race was run, they started to really sprint around that corner. She got off the bridle a wee bit as she was getting dictated to when they quickened and crabbed around the corner a bit. I think if Craig (Williams, jockey) had been outside them he would have quickened before then. She got off the bridle chasing. Just when I look back on her form, all of her Group 1 wins have been on big tracks, so I think Flemington should suit her." Tofane has won seven of her 23 starts and over $2.6 million. Her elite wins have been in the Gr1 Tattersall's Tiara and the Gr1 All Aged Stakes. Also of note, Tofane's 3YO half-brother Benaud (Reliable Man) will debut in today's HQ Insurance Maiden Handicap over 1400m at Shoalhaven. Benaud is trained by John O'Shea and was a NZ$280,000 yearling from the Valachi Downs draft at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.

Tofane returns to Flemington on Saturday (pic: Mark Gatt)