TOFANE DOMINANT IN ORR STAKES

Tofane began what is likely to be her last campaign in the best possible way with a dominant, all-the-way win in thE C F Orr Stakes (1400m)at Caulfield today.

When one of the expected front runners Lightsaber was slow away Mark Zahra seized the initiative and allowed Tofane to roll to the front and the mare relaxed beautifully for him. Setting a solid tempo Tofane showed her class by accelerating clear into the home straight and she never looked likely to be caught, going on to defeat Lighthouse by 1-1/2 lengths with Cascadian a short neck away third.

It is the fourth win at the highest level for Tofane and the second in the race in recent years following the victory of Alabama Express and Mike Moroney was justifiably proud.

"She was never going to be beaten from a long way out,’’ Mike said.

“We’ll go to the Futurity and then we’ll either stay here or head up to Sydney. Sydney would be her swansong I would say and then she will go through the sales.

"I think if you look at her record she is always better after Christmas. Mares generally are. She’s got the dapples out in her coat now.

"She had a pretty short break in Queensland and she was tired which was disappointing going into the Empire Rose Stakes.

"She’s done a really good job to recuperate because they don’t get a lot of time between the spring and the autumn, so a great job by her and all the team at home, we couldn’t have done it without them.”

Tofane was bred by Curraghmore principal Gordon Cunningham, who elected to retain the filly and send her to co-trainer Pam Gerard at Matamata.

She won an 820m trial at Te Teko before Ballymore Stable clients purchased her from Cunningham and she was transferred to the Flemington stable.

Tofane is now the winner of eight of her 27 races and has earned connections A$3.39 million.