Trainer Guy Walter has his sights set on the Brisbane Winter Carnival with Toydini after the three year old returned to the winner’s stall in the Group 2 $175,000 Spotless Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill today.
Toydini recorded his second win from eleven starts following the decision to geld him and Walter credits this as the key to his return to winning form.
“We felt as a colt he wasn’t quite producing his best and as you say all the signs are good,” Walter said.
Walter will step Toydini up in distance over the Sydney Autumn Carnival and if he gets through his next couple of runs as expected a trip to Brisbane for the Group 1 $500,000 Channel Seven Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm in June is a possibility.
“We’ll wait three weeks now and run him in the Carbine Club, and probably into the Frank Packer Plate and who knows he might end up in a Queensland Derby,” Walter said.
Blake Shinn settled Toydini ($6.50) in the second half of the field and after making a strong move half way down the straight ran away to score a comfortable two and a quarter lengths win over Ninth Legion ($5) who raced on the pace with Force Command ($12) running on for third.
Favourite Ashokan ($3.20) was always well back in the field and failed to threaten at any stage of the race.