Kiwi import wins 500k Country Final

[Wandering Eyes]

Four-year-old mare Toregene (NZ) might not be straight-forward, but the daughter of Mongolian Khan has undoubted ability.

Prepared by popular Warrnambool trainer Matthew Williams, Toregene advanced her career record to four wins from five starts when racing away with the lucrative A$500,000 Melbourne Cup Carnival Country Final (1600m) at Flemington on Thursday.

After jumping well, the free-going mare pulled her way into the trail and despite never really settling under jockey Dean Yendall, she still quickened readily when asked to score by a comfortable length and a quarter.

Sporting the colours of OTI Thoroughbreds, Toregene was via astute bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo after two winning trials on the Cambridge synthetic track, the most recent in February this year.

Originally prepared by Scott Wenn, the daughter of Windsor Park Stud stallion Mongolian Khan is out of the Listed performer Starguru and was bred by Gordon and Jane Thomas-Long.

Williams was delighted to get the result in the targeted race with the mare, who he believes will continue to improve.

“It has been terrific. She has done a really good job and she is still not the furnished product. You could see mid-race she was still wanting to get up on the bridle a bit strong,” Williams said.

“I reckon Dean might have a broken tooth from gritting his teeth a little bit.

“She has definitely got good ability and she is on the right path.

“We don’t work many horses with her as she is just too keen in her trackwork but we have known for a while that she has got good ability.

“It was just about taking small steps and keeping her raceday manners under control and there was going to be a nice race in her.”

Toregene has now amassed A$376,975 in prizemoney.

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