Racing: Toretto seals his place in the 2025 Karaka Millions 2YO

Toretto surges to victory in the Mondiale VGL at Ellerslie. Photo / Kenton Wright, Race Images

A strong late run carried consistent juvenile Toretto to his maiden victory when he took out the Mondiale VGL (1100m) at Ellerslie.

The Hollie Wynyard-trained son of Ardrossan had run into one better at his first two starts, finishing runner-up to Te Akau Racing runners at both Wanganui and Te Rapa before gaining a measure of revenge on the Matamata-based stable of Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson by downing their heavily supported representative In Haste on Saturday.

Rider Ryan Elliot gave Toretto plenty of time to find his feet in the early stages of the contest as Bellatrix set up the pace before being joined by In Haste approaching the home bend.

That pair were still in front early in the run home, however, Elliot had Toretto winding up nicely in centre track and with a couple of big bounds at the 150m he forged to the front to win comfortably by just on a length from In Haste with That’s Gold narrowly taking third from a brave Bellatrix.

Wynyard was pleased to gain a victory with her charge after being denied at his first two outings.

“I’m really happy with him as we have run into Te Akau with all of my two-year-olds all season and finished second,” Wynyard said. “To get it this time was nice.

“The goal is to get back here for the Karaka Millions and going around Ellerslie is a big asset, so with the track being a Soft5 today he should pull up really well and we can [go] on from here.

“He has come so much stronger and so much better from his first start and after his run at Te Rapa he has put on weight and I just can’t get on top of him.”

Elliot was pleased to see just how much Toretto had learnt from his first two starts and the professional way he got the job done to break his maiden status.

“He has been a little indifferent along the way and he ran into one of the better ones of Te Akau at his first run,” he said.

“He wasn’t completely screwed down for his second run and he went an enormous race and today he has put it all together so it is good to see him round it off and handle it going right-handed.

“He has come through them today and hit the line late which is good for a two-year-old.”

Toretto lifted his career earnings to $29,275 with the $17,250 winner’s cheque and that takes him to the top of the qualifying table for the $1 million TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), which will be contested at Ellerslie on January 25.

Purchased by Johno Benner under his Benner Racing banner from the Landsdowne Park draft for $165,000 during the Book 1 sale at Karaka earlier in the year, Toretto comes from an extended family that features a host of European stakes winners including the 2011 Champion stayer of Europe in triple group one winner Fame And Glory.

– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk