A bigger and stronger Tofane could emerge as a genuine Everest chance during her 2020 Spring Carnival campaign.
Tofane, above with yellow cap, is looking for a slot in The Everest 2020m at Randwick. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Trainer Mike Moroney has reported that Tofane has returned from a spell in prime condition and he is hoping for her to catch the attention of one of the slot holders for the $15m The Everest (1200m) at Randwick on October 17.
“I think she’s bigger and stronger,” Moroney told racing.com.
“For the first time I look at her and see why she has made a sprinter, because she’s got real strength now, something she’s lacked all the way through.
“We’ve weighed her and she’s about 20 kilos heavier than what she was last time around, so she should really be at her level best.
“I think it was 13 months from the time she had her first start until the time she won a Group 1. That’s very hard for them to do and it’s very hard for mares to beat all-comers at weight-for-age too.
“When you consider all that, if she has improved, she’s going to be awfully hard to beat in all these big races.”
Moroney is yet to finalize a Spring Carnival Program and is leaving his options open to where Tofane opens her account for the Spring.
“She might start off here (Melbourne), but it really just depends on the programming and the money here, otherwise we’ll just get her to Sydney straight away,” Moroney said.
Tofane joined the Group 1 winner’s club with her nose victory in the $480,000 Schweppes All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on April 18 and Moroney is now keen to chase the biggest purses that are on offer.
“She’s won a Group 1, so it’s down to prizemoney now with her,” Moroney said.
Only two of the twelve slots for The Everest 2020 have been filled with trainer Chris Waller’s speed machine Nature Strip to run for TAB and The Les Bridge trained Classique Legend to fill the slot owned by Bon Ho.
Multiple Group 1 winner Nature Strip is the early $4.20 favourite for The Everest with Ladbrokes.com.au ahead of Bivouac at $9 and Alligator Blood, Classique Legend, Farnan and Gytrash at $12 while Tofane is marked as a $19 chance.
Early betting for The Everest 2020 at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4.20 Nature Strip, $9 Bivouac, $12 Alligator Blood, Classique Legend, Farnan, Gytrash, $15 Loving Gaby, Rothfire, Santa Ana Lane, $17 Doubtland, $19 Masked Crusader, Tofane, Trekking, $26 Fabergino, Fasika, Greyworm, Rubisaki, $31 Arcadia Queen, Tagaloa, $34 or better the rest.
