The disappointment of an unfortunate debut is long gone for the connections of Tornado Valley, who produced a polished performance to take out Tuesday’s Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington.
The Ciaron Maher-trained colt, a son of Too Darn Hot, bounced back strongly after his third in the Listed Debutant Stakes at Caulfield on October 15, this time converting with a determined win in the $240,000 Group 3 under Ethan Brown.
However, there was a brief moment of suspense as connections waited for the outcome of a protest from Ben Melham, rider of runner-up Tales Of Time, who alleged interference during the middle stages of the 1000m contest. Stewards reviewed the footage and dismissed the objection, confirming Tornado Valley as the winner.
Maher was delighted to see the colt enjoy a cleaner passage at his second race start and suggested a Queensland campaign may be considered, especially with the Gold Coast summer carnival looming.
“It was just like a barrier trial, really,” Maher said of his debut run.
“I thought he was a bit sleepy out of the gates, wobbled at the turn and was very good late.
“This colt is very well-bred and he’s got a bright future.
“Magic Millions is hard to pass up and he is progressive. (They’re) nice options to have.”
The $3 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) is scheduled for January 11 on the Gold Coast, and Tornado Valley may now be firmly in that conversation.
Starting $5, Tornado Valley held a narrow margin over Tales Of Time ($18), a Pinatubo colt, with Luna Vega ($10), by Lucky Vega and carrying the familiar Yulong green and white colours, finishing a further length and a half back in third.
Ethan Brown, replacing Mark Zahra aboard the winner, was satisfied with the result and believes there is more improvement to come.
“He probably hit the front a bit soon, but I just had to use him just to get out in clear running,” Brown said.
“He’s very responsive, he had a good look at the crowd, and he won with a bit in hand.
“He was just very green his first-up run, and it’s a sign of a good horse. He’s taken the right improvement.”
If you’re backing runners over the weekend, compare odds and sign-up bonuses across Australia’s leading betting sites to secure the best value.
