Another Gr2 Winner For Bush Hill’s Toreador

Toreador has been enjoying a purple patch this year with regular winners crossing the finish lines across all tracks in South Africa, and one of his leading current fillies is the very fast and aptly named Lazer Star who captured the Gr2 Joburg Spring Challenge for Fillies and Mares at Turffontein on Saturday.

It was also a double on the day for Toreador as Spanish Kiss, a full sister to another gelding making the headlines named Thrust, had her second consecutive win from just four starts, and as yet unplaced.

Both Lazer Star and Spanish Kiss are bred by the Tawny Syndicate, who stand Toreador at Bush Hill Stud. Toreador’s first KZN born progeny are yearlings which will be on offer in 2016.

The brilliantly fast Lazer Star has amassed an impressive race record – a previous winner of the Gr3 Magnolia Handicap by over three lengths from Winter Star, she has won seven of her nine starts and placed second once – a mere head off Sensible Lover in the Gr3 Three Troika’s Stakes whilst carrying a hefty 8kgs more to the finish than the winner.

Trained by Ormond Ferraris the gutsy filly is a carbon copy in looks of her sire, out of Empress Of Oz by Sri Pekan. This was her first win and second attempt over 1450m.

Lazer Star jumped well from her 7 draw and was taken outside of her field as Piere Strydom took Sarve out to lead Featherfoot.

Weichong Marwing settled Lazer Star into third as the field spun for home, with Strydom giving Sarve some rein as she grabbed two lengths on her opposition. At the 400m, Lazer Star looked to have a race on her hands as the fit-as-a-fiddle Sarve galloped strongly.

But Marwing was kidding and at the 250m marker it was race over as the favourite drew clear. Lazer Star went on powerfully to hold Sarve to 1,25 lengths in a time of 88,90 secs.

Jockey Weichong Marwing rode the winner for his wife Anneli, who was not on course. Lazer Star is a R350 000 National Yearling Sale purchase and took her stakes earnings to R784 375.

Toreador is lying 11th on the NHRA National Sires Log by Stakes earned as of 1 October 2015 excluding the above result. The most successful son of Toreador to stand his career in South Africa, his fee is just R15 000 this season. Congratulations to the Tawny Syndicate!

– extract sportingpost.co.za