Tulloch Lodge’s call to give promising filly Tomato Toastie another run before spelling her has paid off handsomely, with the two-year-old scoring a determined win at Randwick.
After breaking her maiden earlier this month, co-trainer Adrian Bott initially planned to give the youngster a break and prepare her for the spring, but a stronger-than-expected recovery prompted a rethink.
“We reassessed after her last start and thought, why not go around once more while she’s in such good shape?” Bott said. “It gives us the chance to reset and build towards a strong autumn instead.”
Sent out a $4.80 chance, Tomato Toastie positioned just off the pace in the Schweppes Handicap (1400m) and hit the lead halfway down the straight. She dug deep to deny race favourite Crossbow ($2.70 betting fav) by a short half-head, with Kokatahi ($8.50) finishing a further 1-1/2 lengths back in third.
While the winning margin was narrow, Bott was thrilled with the filly’s tenacity and believes she has more to offer with maturity.
“She gave everything she had late in the race and that kind of effort, especially on the quick turnaround, shows real class,” Bott said. “She’s not overly big but she’s got a big engine and plenty of upside.”
Jockey Regan Bayliss echoed those sentiments, impressed by the filly’s adaptability across both heavy and improving track conditions.
“She’s exceeded expectations so far. It’s rare to see one so inexperienced show that level of grit and versatility,” Bayliss said. “She’ll definitely improve physically with time, but she already has the will to win.”
For punters following Sydney racing, markets on promising juveniles like Tomato Toastie are available through Australia’s top betting sites.