For the second year in a row, Horsham trainer Paul Preusker has won the A$200,000 Gr.3 Tobin Brothers Celebrating Lives Easter Cup (2000m) at Caulfield with a New Zealand-bred.
Preusker won the race with Savabeel gelding Captain Envious (NZ) (Savabeel) last year, and on Saturday he secured a repeat result with Tarzino five-year-old Torranzino (NZ) (Tarzino).
The Easter Cup was Torranzino’s third start in his current preparation, having run a bold first-up fourth behind Deny Knowledge in the Listed Victoria Gold Cup (2000m) in late February before a close last-start second in the Wangaratta Cup (2000m). He went to a new level on Saturday and recorded the first black-type win of his career.
Torranzino settled well back in the field as Future History set a genuine tempo up to the home turn. The field fanned across the track in an energy-sapping battle to the finish line, and it was Torranzino whose stamina and toughness carried him to a nose victory over Foujita San (Maurice). The time was a quick 2:01.16.
“I was actually very confident, I knew he had a very good chance in this race,” jockey Celine Gaudray said. “The Wangaratta Cup wasn’t run to suit him at all – they went really slow, he ran quite aggressively and it became a sit and sprint.
“It was set up a lot better for him today and I was fortunate to get off the rail at the right time and follow the right horses. I was briefly worried his wheels might spin when they put the pressure on, but everything unfolded really well. Once I put my whip into the right hand, he went to the line really nicely.”
Torranzino has now had 27 starts for five wins, seven placings and A$670,090.
Preusker was represented at Caulfield on Saturday by his partner Holly McKechnie.
“We thought he went super in the Wangaratta Cup and he loves Caulfield, he’s got a terrific record here,” she said. “It turned into a real tough, staying 2000m race today, and that’s his forte. He needs the right tempo.”
The sixth individual stakes winner for Westbury Stud stallion Tarzino, Torranzino was bred by Payne Family Racing Pty Ltd. He is the first foal to race out of the Helmet mare Goldilicious (NZ), who is a half-sister to the Group Three winner Showbeel (NZ) (Showbeel), who in turn is out of champion stayer Showella (NZ) (Lord Ballina).
Torranzino was offered by Janine Dunlop’s Phoenix Park as a yearling in Book 1 of Karaka 2021, where Preusker bought him for $75,000.