Talented import Pornichet will head to the 2015 Doomben Cup next weekend after he recorded a comfortable victory in the 2015 Toowoomba Cup this afternoon.
Gai Waterhouse was forced to send Pornichet to Toowoomba after he missed out on a start in the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Gold Coast last weekend, but the leading Sydney trainer was very confident about the chances of the four-year-old despite being allocated the top weight of 60.5 kilograms.
Pornichet jumped quickly from the gates and jockey Tim Bell elected to ride the Vespone entire aggressively in the early stages of the race and he was able to settle the clear favourite just outside Volkhere.
Bell rode Pornichet very patiently and he did not ask him for an extra effort until the top of the straight, but he responded very quickly when he was let loose by the leading hoop and he put a couple of lengths on his rivals.
The big weight appear to tell on Pornichet in the final stages of the race and Volkhere, Hopfgarten and Wish Come True were all able to make up ground late, but the four-year-old had already got the job done and held on to record a strong win.
Pornichet will be given a quiet week in trackwork, but he is still set to return to Group 1 level in the Doomben Cup next weekend and will likely start the race as one of the favourites along with Hollindale Stakes winner Leebaz.
Pornichet started his racing career in France, but he joined the Waterhouse stable before the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival and he made his Australian racing debut with a fourth place finish in the Group 3 Yellowglen Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day and went on to take out the Group 3 Sandown Guineas (1500m) on November 15.
The talented entire made a slow start to her autumn campaign in the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup (1300m) at Warwick Farm on February 28 and the Group 2 Ajax Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 14, but she returned to winning form in the Group 3 Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m) on March 28 before she finished a credible fifth in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Royal Randwick on April 6.
Waterhouse is chasing her first win in the Doomben Cup since she took out the 1996 edition of the race with Juggler.
