Grinzinger Heart turns tables in VRC Sires’ Produce
The Ben Brisbourne-trained filly Grinzinger Heart (Toronado) turned the form of her debut fourth in the Talindert Stakes (Listed, 1100m) around when producing a determined front-running performance in Saturday’s VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) at Flemington.
Ridden by Craig Williams, the daughter of Toronado (High Chaparral) jumped well from barrier four and rolled forward to control the ten-runner affair.
Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained favourite Zambles (Pinatubo) – third in the Talindert last start – loomed alongside in the home straight, but Grinzinger Heart dug deep to repel the challenge and hold on for a 0.1-length victory. The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained Expensive Taste (North Pacific) worked home well to finish third, another 1.2 lengths adrift.
“We’ve always liked her and were happy to have a go at the better races,” Brisbourne said of the winner. “I said to Craig before the race I thought she’d grown an inch in the last couple of weeks.”
Brisbourne also revealed Williams had been particularly taken by the filly after riding her in trackwork.
“Craig sat on her in a jump-out at Caulfield about five weeks ago and told me he thought she could win the Oaks in the spring,” he said. “Now she’s a Group 2 winner, so there’s only one way to go.”
Williams praised both the filly and her connections following the victory.
“Ben has done a great job with her,” Williams said. “She ran in the Talindert against the early sprinting two-year-olds and today over more ground she really delivered.”
Purchased by owner-breeder John Wheeler for $110,000 from the Lustre Lodge draft at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Grinzinger Heart lifted her earnings to $198,975 with Saturday’s Group 2 win, which made her the 49th stakes winner for Swettenham Stud’s Toronado, and, notably, his first Australian two-year-old stakes winner.
The filly is the third winner and first stakes winner from four runners out of O’Reilly (Last Tycoon) mare Veravarti, herself a half-sister to Group 1 winner Sharvasti (Montjeu) as well as to Group 3 winners Bhandara (Zabeel) and Shastri (Stravinsky).
Grinzinger Heart’s half-brother Banjora (I Am Invincible) is a three-time winner from as many starts, most recently landing a Benchmark 72 (1100m) at Rosehill last week.