True Class Welcomed in Victoria

Victorian breeders have rarely been offered the opportunity to access a horse of the quality of Champion European Miler and undefeated two year-old, Toronado (IRE) who makes his second appearance at Swettenham Stud this spring.

A stunningly attractive son of outstanding sire High Chaparral, Toronado raced against the European elite for three seasons in the colours of Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani’s Al Shaqab Racing before retiring to the iconic National Stud at Newmarket in the UK.

"His Excellency Sheikh Joaan has made an incredibly generous gesture of support to the Victorian Breeding Industry in providing a horse of such quality to Australian breeders,” said Adam Sangster. "His unique qualities in our marketplace were immediately recognized and saw him cover 175 mares to be the most popular first season sire in Victoria last year.”

Toronado’s sire High Chaparral needs no introduction in this part of the world, the Epsom Derby winner leaving us a stellar collection of Group I performers headed by champions So You Think, Dundeel, Shoot Out, Contributer, plus Group I winners Descarado, Monaco Consul and Fenway. Like so many of the best Australasian bred progeny of High Chaparral, Toronado had an electric turn of foot and was best placed at a mile claiming the crown of Joint Champion 3YO Miler in Europe for 2013.

A brilliant unbeaten juvenile, who won each of his three starts at two highlighted by a win in the Group II Champagne Stakes at Doncaster, the Richard Hannon trained colt returned at three to contest all the very best mile races. Fourth in the Group I English 2,000 Guineas to Dawn Approach and then a short head second to the same colt at Royal Ascot in the Group I St James’s Palace Stakes, Toronado turned the tables on his arch rival to score a memorable win in the Group I Sussex Strakes at Goodwood with another high class older miler in Declaration of War some two and a half lengths back in third place. Returning at four, Toronado captured the Group I Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot and then finished second to a couple of high class three year-old colts in Kingman and Charm Spirit in the Group I Sussex Stakes at Goodwood and Group I Prix du Moulin de Longchamp.

Toronado retired with six wins and three seconds from just 12 starts and has some cracking foals on the ground in the UK this year having covered some 150 mares Northern Hemisphere time in 2015. Among them is this gorgeous bay colt from Candicans, a full sister to French Derby winner Zambezi Sun. Al Shaqab Stud Manager Benoit Jeffroy commented when he was born earlier this year, "He is a very attractive foal, we’re thrilled. He is the splitting image of his sire.” Victorian breeders will not have long to wait until they see Toronado’s of their own! The first son of High Chaparral to stand in Victoria, Toronado is priced competitively at $22,000 for a stallion with his imposing race record and comes from an intriguing Black Type female family that is not unfamiliar to Australian breeders. A two time winner in France by US speed sire Grand Slam, his dam Wana Doo is from stakes-winner Wedding Gift, who is a half-sister to the very good broodmare Black Tokk (Fr), who found her way to Australia in 1987.

Black Tokk left Group I SAJC Goodwood Handicap winner French Clock and stakes-winner Dream About It, the grand-dam of dual Group I winner and $1.6 million earner Heart of Dreams and Group III winner Rightfully Yours. The success of this female family in Australia under our unique conditions, coupled with the achievements of High Chaparral make Toronado the ideal prospect to continue the success of the prolific Sadler’s Wells sire dynasty. "He comes out of quarantine on August 18 and will be a highlight at our annual stallion parade on August 28,” Adam Sangster added.