Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Tomato Toastie toasts them in the mud
It’s not often that number 19 salutes in a 2-year-old fillies' maiden, but that was the case on Wednesday, when the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Tomato Toastie (Too Darn Hot {GB}) proved too strong second-up at Warwick Farm.
The heavily-backed Pyrolysis (Zoustar) burst out of the gates and set a fast tempo out wide, while Jason Collett had Tomato Toastie travelling comfortably in second, the $3 million filly Ernaux (I Am Invincible) settled nicely with cover in fourth.
Video: Watch race replay of Tomato Toastie, video courtesy of Racing NSW
Rory Hutchings let Ernaux stride forward before the turn and she loomed ominously at the top of the straight, but when the pressure went on in the heavy conditions, she failed to respond. Meanwhile, Tomato Toastie was travelling and surged away to a soft win, scoring by just over two lengths from the brave Pyrolysis, with Triple Two Eight (Graff) closing late for third, narrowly missing gaining second place.
Co-trainer Adrian Bott was pleased with the performance and acknowledged that race experience had helped his filly.
“It’s hard to find maiden 2-year-old fillies' races at this time of the year, and the strength of the nominations probably reflected that,” Bott said.
“With the heavy track, there were plenty of scratchings and we could get into the field.
Tomato Toastie winning the Maiden Plate at Warwick Farm | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
“She showed the benefit of race experience today. She probably wasn’t entirely suited by Gosford first-up, it’s a tighter track. She switched on today, jumped cleanly, and clearly appreciated the track conditions, which a fair few of that progeny seem to handle.
“She (Tomato Toastie switched on today, jumped cleanly, and clearly appreciated the track conditions, which a fair few of that progeny seem to handle.” - Adrian Bott
“She was just run off her feet a little bit first-up in a high-pressure race. Naturally, getting out slightly in trip helped, and I think she’ll appreciate even further in time.”
When asked about her pedigree, being closely related to former stable star English (Encosta De Lago), Bott passed on the credit for the origins of getting the horse in the stable.
“James Clarke and the team at Ridgmont can take full credit for selecting her at the weanling sales. I assume our association with English and that family led to them giving us the opportunity to train her, and we’re delighted.”
Adrian Bott | Image courtesy of Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Racing
On what might be next, Bott said the team would take a patient approach.
“We’ll see how she pulls up before deciding if we give her another run this winter. She’s probably not a filly we’ll see early in the spring, so there’s no rush to get her out and back in. If she continues to relish the wet, there’s merit in keeping her going, but I do think there’s still a fair bit of physical improvement to come.”
Tomato Toastie was purchased by Cunningham Thoroughbreds and Clarke Bloodstock (FBAA) for $140,000 from the Segenhoe Stud draft at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale.
Her dam, Al Naifa (Redoute’s Choice), was a smart juvenile herself and placed in the Listed Dequetteville Stakes. She is also a half-sister to the outstanding English (Encosta De Lago), a champion 2- and 3-year-old filly and a dual Group 1 winner who earnt just under $3.5 million in prizemoney.
Tomato Toastie as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Further back in the family is the high-class European stallion Grand Lodge (USA), a champion juvenile and Group 1 winner of the G1 St James’s Palace Stakes at three.
Too Darn Hot returns to Australia for the upcoming breeding season, standing at a raised fee of $275,000 (inc GST) at Darley. The in-demand sire has already produced 10 stakes winners from just 93 runners in Australia, including Darley’s new four-time Group 1-winning stallion Broadsiding, who begins stud duties this spring at a fee of $66,000 (inc GST).
Tomato Toastie is the third foal and third winner for Al Naifa. In recent times, Al Naifa has produced a Blue Point (Ire) weanling colt, and is due to foal to Home Affairs in September.
Connections of Tomato Toastie after winning the Maiden Plate at Warwick Farm | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Savannah Chill stylish on debut
It may have been a small field in the juvenile fillies’ event at Sandown Lakeside on Wednesday, but it produced an intriguing race, and an impressive winner. The debut performance of Savannah Chill (NZ) (Savabeel), trained by Ben, Will and JD Hayes, was full of promise as she delivered stylishly under a clever ride from Daniel Stackhouse.
The well-bred Celestra (I Am Invincible) made the running under Jye McNeil on the rain-affected surface, with Too Much Too Soon (Too Darn Hot {GB}) poised nicely behind, while Savannah Chill travelled sweetly in fourth, one-off the fence.
There was little change in the order through the run, but Stackhouse had not moved on the Savabeel filly, and she always travelled like the winner. To her credit, Too Much Too Soon tried valiantly in the straight, but couldn’t match the winner’s sustained finish. Celestra held on for third, while His Lady Bay (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) produced an eye-catching late run from last to grab fourth, just shy of a placing.
Savannah Chill was a NZ$100,000 purchase by Lindsay Park Racing from the Waikato Stud draft at the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka National Yearling Sale.
She hails from one of Waikato Stud’s most successful families and is a full sister to Savacool (NZ) (Savabeel), a six-time winner including in the Listed Rowley Mile. Other notable stakes performers in the family include The Big Chill (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), Icy Calm (NZ) (Western Symphony {USA}), and Coldplay (NZ) (Savabeel), who claimed four Group races in New Zealand. The family continues to strengthen, with Frosty Girl, an unbeaten Super Seth filly trained by Chris Waller, also making an impact in recent months.
Savannah Chill as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Savannah Chill is the twelth foal, and the ninth winner out of Chilled Out (NZ) (Anabaa {USA}). More recently, Chilled Out produced a Savabeel yearling colt that sold for NZ$90,000 to DR Cole Racing Stables at the 2025 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka National Yearling Sale, after missing to Noverre (NZ) in 2023, she returned to him, and is due to foal to the Group 1 winning son of Savabeel in September this spring.
A deserved win for All Business -She meant business today
No one could begrudge All Business (Toronado {Ire}) her second career win. The honest and consistent filly had been knocking on the door since breaking her maiden at Pakenham in late April. In four subsequent runs, with three of them in strong 3-year-old Saturday class company, she never finished worse than fourth, including a last-start second to the talented Knobelas (NZ) (Belardo {Ire}) at Sandown Hillside.
Trained by Leon and Troy Corstens in partnership with Will Larkin, All Business was ridden quietly by apprentice Luke Cartwright. She settled at the rear as Belmoro (Impending) set a genuine tempo up front, with Butternut Princess (Capitalist) forced to race wide in the early stages.
Cartwright allowed All Business to creep into the race at the top of the straight, and she quickly loomed large. To her credit, Butternut Princess dug in gamely and didn’t go down without a fight, but All Business looked the winner a long way out and was too strong in the finish. She scored by 0.3l with Belmoro holding third narrowly from the eye-catching Chocolate Box (Deep Field), who stormed home late.
Co-trainer Will Larkin said the win was richly deserved.
“She has been very consistent the whole preparation, so it was good to see her get the city win that she deserved,” Larkin said.
“She (All Business) has been very consistent the whole preparation, so it was good to see her get the city win that she deserved.” - Will Larkin
“In a few of her Saturday runs where she finished fourth, she was held up at crucial stages, which probably cost her a couple of lengths. That was frustrating, but I thought she was excellent today, the way she travelled into the race and let down with good acceleration was spot on.”
“She was tough, at one point it looked like she was going to win by four or five, but credit to the horse on the inside (Butternut Princess), she gave us a real fight. I’m not totally convinced wet tracks are her favourite; I think she’s better suited on top of the ground, but it was still a very good effort.”
Will Larkin | Image courtesy of Malua Racing
As for what’s next, Larkin said a paddock spell could be on the cards, but the filly’s good form may delay that decision.
“She still has a lot of maturing to do physically, so a break isn’t far away, but it’s hard to tip them out when they’re in winning form. I told the owners before the race that win, lose, or draw, she’d be heading to the paddock, but we’ll see how she pulls up.
“I’d love to win a Saturday race with her before she goes out. These fillies and mares, when they’re in good form, you don’t want to lose them. We won’t hassle her too much this prep, but we’ll sit down as a team Monday morning and work out a plan from there.”
All Business is by Swettenham Stud’s outstanding stallion Toronado (Ire) and is the first foal out of Scamper (Fastnet Rock), a three-time winner on the track. Scamper is a half-sister to Amplify (Microphone), a dual winner who also placed in the Listed Gold Coast Bracelet as a 3-year-old filly.
Her grandam Se Sauver (Bel Esprit) was a G2 Edward Manifold Stakes winner and produced seven individual winners. She is also a half-sister to Escado (Casino Prince), the G1 South Australian Derby winner trained by Matt Laurie.
All Business as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
All Business failed to meet her $90,000 reserve when offered by Sledmere Stud at the 2023 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. Bred by Flemington Bloodstock and Troy Corstens, she was retained to race and is now owned by a large, enthusiastic group, a decision that’s proving to be a smart one.
Since foaling All Business, Scamper has produced a 2-year-old by Shamus Award named Specificity, a weanling filly by So You Think (NZ), and is due to foal to Farnan in early August.
