Photo: Bruno Cannatelli
Trainers Ben, Will and JD Hayes have unleashed another promising juvenile when two-year-old filly Torture proved too good for her rivals on debut in the Listed Debutant Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield.
Sent out a $21 chance, Torture came from just behind the leaders to score by half a length from stablemate Free Flying in the hands of Ethan Brown in what was a professional performance.
The well-related filly is the first winner and stakes winner by freshman sire Sword Of State, a Group One winning son of Snitzel who stands at Cambridge Stud.
“It was nice to run one-two in the race, and to get some black-type with a filly is very important,” Ben Hayes said.
“I thought she won very well. She loomed into it and hit the front and did everything right today, so it’s a big thrill for the whole team. Two-year-olds are something that we really enjoy doing, and coming out and winning the first two-year-old stakes race of the season is a big thrill.
“She is well-bred and now a stakes winner, so there are a couple of big ticks there and she is a beautiful looking horse with much more improvement to come, which is exciting.”
Bred by Sir Owen Glenn’s Go Bloodstock, Torture is a half-sister to Group One winner Ruthless Dame, with the pair out of the stakes placed Keeper mare Ruthless Lady.
Torture was raised and sold by Gordon Cunningham’s Curraghmore, with Lindsay Park and Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock going to $250,000 to secure the filly at the Karaka Book 1 Yearling Sale earlier this year.
“For her to come out and win The Debutant, probably wasn’t what we were thinking when we bought her,” Hayes said of the filly who was an October 20 born foal.
“But she just kept improving and kept showing us that she could get there. Her trial leading up was good and we thought why not.
“She’s a stakes winner now, so maybe the Blue Diamond (Gr.1, 1200m) or something like that would be right up her alley.”
Winning rider Ethan Brown said the filly had come on in leaps and bounds from a jumpout at Caulfield a fortnight ago.
“My feedback after that trial here at Caulfield was that she probably lacked a bit of substance, but she is very professional and that will take her a long way,” Brown said.
“Funnily enough, she feels like she has strengthened again from that trial, they put the winkers on, which proved to be the winning move. The boys are such terrific trainers in general but are especially good with a young horse.
“From that gate, I gave her a squeeze to get her into the bridle, she lobbed into a beautiful position, and she got up on the bit.
“I just had to dodge heels there for a bit coming around the corner, but she really flowed into it well.
“I thought we hit the front a bit soon, but luckily those winkers were on, she kept her focus and was strong through the line.”
Torture is raced by a syndicate headed by passionate Richmond supporter John O'Neill and sports silks featuring the famed yellow and black.
The Hayes team have saddled the first two winners of Victorian two-year-old races after Per Incanto colt Eurocanto won the Listed Maribyrnong Trial (1000m) earlier this month.
Torture’s victory continues a great run of form for breeder Sir Owen Glenn who bred last Saturday’s Gr.1 Toorak Handicap winner Transatlantic.
“Fittingly, he bred this filly’s Group One winning sire Sword Of State and was keen to support him,” Curraghmore’s Gordon Cunningham said.
“He is a big supporter of our industry, and he will get great satisfaction from that win. He happily remained in the ownership after she was purchased by Lindsay Park and the mare has a lovely yearling filly by Proisir.”
