Distance rise likely for Tofane

[Wandering Eyes]

Back-to-back Group One winner Tofane (NZ) (Ocean Park) will be tried as a miler in the spring after convincing her connections of her middle-distance potential with a powerful finish to grab Saturday’s Gr.1 Tatt’s Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm.

The dominant win against fellow mares took the Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) winner’s record to three Group One wins over the 1400m trip, but despite never racing beyond that distance, trainer Mike Moroney said the class mare was showing all the signs she can extend out to 1600m.

“I think the way she’s racing she’ll get a mile,” Moroney said on Sunday.

“She has been so strong through the line in both her recent wins. She powered through the line in the Stradbroke and Saturday was similar again. She was very strong at the end of 1400 metres.

“The obvious target would be the mares’ race (Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes, 1600m) on the first day of the carnival at Flemington, but we’ll see as we’ve also got the autumn to consider.

“She will go for a short spell now and we’ll discuss it over the next week as to our plan.”

Moroney said Tofane was heading for the broodmare sales in Queensland in May before she stepped out in the Gr.3 BRC Sprint (1200m) in May, where she finished an eye-catching second.

“She had to perform in the BRC Sprint,” he said. “If she didn’t, she would have gone to the sale ring.

“I was glad about it (change of plans). She had shown from the day she jumped out this time in that she was back to her best and it was great that she could show that and win back-to-back Group One’s.”

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