Tassort’s Toorak Jewel shines in The Debut
Newgate Farm-based stallion Tassort (Brazen Beau) and young trainer Paul Shailer could have a ready-made star on their hands after Toorak Jewel showed up the boys in streaking away with Saturday’s The Debut 2YO Plate (1000m) at the Gold Coast.
In the 11-strong field of first starters, bargain buy Toorak Jewel was sent out a slightly easy $3 favourite after a scintillating 9.8-length win in her only barrier trial at the same track on December 30.
And, with champion jockey James McDonald securing the ride for her first start in Saturday’s $500,000 Debut, she emphatically lived up to that performance. Toorak Jewel was slightly wayward on jumping from gate two, but soon mustered to the lead, led by two lengths around the turn, exploded to a five-length margin at the 250 metres, and won easing up by 1.44 lengths.
The filly’s time of 56.31 was just 0.64 seconds outside the Gold Coast’s overall track record for the 1000 metres – a fair effort for a juvenile debutant filly eased up near the post – especially considering that track record has stood for 22 years and McDonald rode a kilo overweight at 56kg.
Bred by Queensland’s Lourdes Park Stud, Toorak Jewel was a $36,000 purchase from Book 2 of last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for mega owner Mike Crooks, he of the “Mishani” squadron of runners.
She now looks destined to be a stable star for Shailer, who has some 62 horses on his books at his Gold Coast base, having spent 12 years with Chris Waller, including heading up the gargantuan trainer’s operation at the same track.
That tenure came to an end when Shailer paid the price for a party at Waller’s Gold Coast stable that infamously got out of hand in 2021, but he has been building his solo operation impressively in the past couple of years and, with Toorak Jewel showing abundant potential, his immediate future looks rosy.
Saturday’s victory will also be welcomed by the team behind Tassort, who stands at Newgate for $38,500 (inc GST) in a partnership with his owners, Emirates Park.
The nine-year-old stallion began with a bang in season 2023-24, with his first crop hatching two stakes winners including ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) queen Manaal and Group 2 victor Ameena.
While Tassort’s second crop has yet to provide him with a third black-type victor, he now appears to have another star filly to his name, as Shailer reflected post-race.
“He [McDonald] had to go early in the race to cross the horse that kicked up inside her. She sustained a strong gallop but when James asked her to quicken she responded really nicely and looked like a filly with a fair bit of talent,” Shailer said.
“Not going to get carried away as, obviously, they’re all first starters but certainly had respect for the race with Gai [Waterhouse] and Adrian [Bott] having runners.
“It is a big thrill. She has shown us a bit and it was good to get the job done.”
McDonald paid tribute to the filly – and his fellow expat New Zealander Shailer.
“Paul was always going to be a very good trainer,” he said. “It was special. That is a good indication on what he can do.
“For her to be so quiet but to jump and run like she does. If she can harness that a bit then they’re going to have a ball.”
Crooks said he’d been led to buy the filly out of his respect for Tassort.
“I love the sire and I was happy to take it at the last minute. It’s gone to Paul and he has done a great job,” said Crooks, who despite having made millions from his swimming pools business, still likes to operate at the bargain end of yearling sales.
“I always have a bit of a budget and it is really low,” he said with a laugh.
The Debut provided an all-female trifecta, with Waterhouse and Bott’s Lady Moscato (Home Affairs) – a daughter of dual Group winner Champagne Cuddles (Not A Single Doubt) – second at $6, and the Tony Gollan-trained Dolly Boom (Spirit Of Boom) third at $8.
In fact, the first male home was Chris Anderson’s gelding Tengun Tommy (Flying Artie) in sixth place at $11.
Toorak Jewel hails from humble origins, with her yearling sale page having room for five dams.
She’s the third living foal of Toorak Rose (Toorak Toff), a winner at two over 1100 metres whose dam Plans (Strategic) was twice stakes placed. Fifth dam Forina (Vibrant) won the fourth edition of the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) in 1974, and her Listed-winning daughter Biscarina (Biscay) was the dam of four-time elite winning sprinter Schillaci (Salieri).
The last entry in the stud book for Toorak Rose comes through the birth of her filly by The Odyssey (Better Than Ready) in 2024.