The Triple Crown Syndications team were in the winner’s circle at Warwick Farm on Wednesday when two year-old Smart Missile colt Smart Image made a winning debut. Prepared by Peter and Paul Snowden, he was tenacious to the line, running down the favourite Beyliks to win the 1200m maiden by half a head with Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle.
A $100,000 Magic Millions purchase for Triple Crown from the Newgate Farm draft, Smart Image as bred by SF Bloodstock in partnership and is the third winner from Group III winner Shared Reflections.
Exciting two-year-old Cherry Tortoni kept his record at a perfect three for three in Saturday’s Listed Taj Rossi Final (1600m) at Flemington however the son of Night Of Thunder (IRE) was made to fight for it.
Trainer Patrick Payne has started to think of the Victoria Derby with Cherry Tortoni after he successfully handled his latest test in the Listed Taj Rossi Series Final at Flemington.
Cherry Tortoni started his career with a win over 1200m at Sale before progressing to a 1420m victory at Flemington second-up before remaining unbeaten at his first go at 1600m. Cherry Tortoni settled worse than midfield before finishing too well for the Godolphin galloper Alcyone, who didn’t shirk his task, to score by a short head.The chestnut carried the red jacket and white cap silks of siblings Sandy Tait and Jill Nivison, who raced the great galloper Tie The Knot.[ Read More ]
For those of us old enough to remember, how good was it to see the chestnut gelding launch home in the Tait family colours to bring back memories of the mighty Tie The Knot. Cherry Tortoni is out of a half-sister to the family’s former champion and he’s now two-from-two, with the form around him looking outstanding with a number of winners already out of his debut win at Sale.
Visions of 12-times Group 1 winner Tie The Knot and the exceptional race filly Whisked came flooding back at Flemington today when the Paddy Payne-trained and Billy Egan-ridden Cherry Tortoni (by Night of Thunder) turned in a hugely promising performance to land the $100,000 VRC Rod Johnson Handicap (1400m) at the metropolitan meeting in Melbourne.
Carrying the unmistakable colours of the Tait family, Cherry Tortoni stamped himself as a significant 3-year-old prospect for next season with a very impressive victory over the metric seven-furlong distance, maintaining an unbeaten record in a fledgling racing career now ready to take off.
Recent results have served to emphasise the versatility of Smart Missile’s progeny and continue to pique breeder interest in Twin Hills Stud’s Group 1 producer. The son of Fastnet Rock has produced 2-year-old city winners on consecutive weekends, including a Listed victory, and a 3-year-old Group winner also in the mix.
It’s been a great day for the Smart Missile juveniles with Lindsay Park’s gelding Crosshaven keeping his record perfect at two for two at Moonee Valley then the Trent and Toby Edmonds-trained filly Smart ‘N’ Sexy finding the prefect spot to break her maiden in the Listed Dalrello Plate (1200m) at Eagle Farm.
It has been a good week in Europe for the veteran American turf phenomenon Kitten’s Joy with his son Kameko a dominant winner 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, while his talented son Bobby’s Kitten (USA), who spent one season at Olly Tait’s Twin Hills Stud, is off the mark with Sands Of Time romping home by five lengths on debut at Lingfield.
A homebred for Kirsten Rausing, Sands Of Time led at every call under Connor Beasley in the 5-furlong scamper on the all-weather.
Twin Hills resident Smart Missile (Fastnet Rock) landed his 17th stakes winner yesterday when Ballistic Boy (3 g ex Magical Mist by High Chaparral) took out the Rough Habit Plate (Gr 3, 2200m) at Eagle Farm.
The Chris Anderson- trained gelding defeated Supergiant (Red Giant) by a length and a half with Navy Cross (I Am Invincible) coming home a further neck away in third.
Ballistic Boy was purchased for $100,000 by his trainer at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the draft of Aquis Farm and he is out of a half-sister to Group 1 winner Distill (Volksraad) as well as the Group 1 placed Mr Tipsy (Montjeu). Smart Missile stands at Twin Hills for a fee of $22,000 (inc GST) in 2020.
Ballistic Boy takes Rough Habit Plate Chris Anderson’s luck finally changed when Ballistic Boy helped him achieve a boyhood dream by winning a Group race with a horse wearing the colours of the Think Big Stud. “Think Big have been fantastic to me. As a boy I was a big fan of Saintly who won a Melbourne Cup in these colours,” he said.
For those of us old enough to remember, how good was it to see the chestnut gelding launch home in the Tait family colours to bring back memories of the mighty Tie The Knot. Cherry Tortoni is out of a half-sister to the family’s former champion and he’s now two-from-two, with the form around him looking outstanding with a number of winners already out of his debut win at 
