Cover Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Tornado Valley impressive at Hawkesbury
The Ciaron Maher-trained Tornado Valley (Too Darn Hot {GB}), an impressive winner of the G3 Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington, is now in New South Wales as connections map a path to the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic at the Gold Coast on January 17. That target looks increasingly within reach after he won a heat over 800 metres at Hawkesbury in stylish fashion, defeating the $1.7 million purchase Nations League (Snitzel) and Mission King (King’s Legacy).
Squadrons (Time To Reign) led at a very good clip for jockey Alysha Collett, with Nations League sitting in a lovely second position. Tornado Valley was very wide just behind the speed, but jockey Adam Farragher was content to keep him in his rhythm- and that he did, winning under minimal urgings out wide, narrowly defeating Nations League. Mission King finished third, a length and a half behind the runner-up.
Video: Watch Tornado Valley at Hawkesbury Trials, video courtesy of Racing NSW
“Tornado Valley is a really nice horse and he’s our flagbearer for the age group,” Ciaron Maher's Assistant Trainer, Jack Turnbull, told racing.com late last week.
Tornado Valley was purchased by Bennett Racing for $300,000 from the Rosemont Stud draft at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
He is out of Oklahoma Girl (Fastnet Rock), a three-time winner who placed in the G2 The Roses and the G1 Queensland Oaks as a 3-year-old filly. She is a half-sister to Sure Knee (Snitzel), a seven-time winner who captured the G3 Sapphire Stakes.
This is the family of the highly regarded but ill-fated sire Northern Meteor and Smart Missile. In recent times, Oklahoma Girl produced a Pinatubo (Ire) yearling colt and, unfortunately, slipped to Churchill (Ire) last spring.
Steel has a ‘will’ to win at Hawkesbury
The Chris Waller-trained colt Steel Will (I Am Invincible), bred and raced by Go Bloodstock, looks one to follow after winning his heat over 800 metres by 0.28l from Bonvoy (Capitalist), who led out wide on the track, and Madalora (Snitzel), who finished a well-beaten third, about seven lengths behind the winner.
Steel Will put in a very professional performance under Zac Lloyd. After sitting in third position, he peeled out wide and really attacked the line late, just when it looked like Bonvoy had the heat all wrapped up. He improved nicely off his second behind Paradoxium (Extreme Choice) at the trials earlier this month, which now looks very strong form.
Video: Watch Steel Will at Hawkesbury Trials, video courtesy of Racing NSW
Steel Will is out of the Group 3 winner Pittsburgh Flyer (Street Cry {Ire}), who has excelled at stud, producing four winners including September Run (Exceed And Excel), winner of the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes and G1 William Reid Stakes. Also among her winners are Steel City (Merchant Navy), winner of the G3 Magic Night Stakes, and Steel Strike (Exceed And Excel), who was Listed placed.
In recent times, Pittsburgh Flyer has produced a yearling filly by Snitzel, and was not served in 2024.
Remembrall ticks over nicely at Doomben
It was a lovely tick-over trial for the sharp Spirit Of Boom filly Remembrall over 1000 metres on Monday, in the hands of Justin Huxtable. The Liam Birchley-trained filly had been a dominant winner at Doomben in late October, beating the smart Lady Of Five (Hanseatic) winning by three lengths.
She showed her customary gate speed to lead all the way, with Vanzadee (NZ) (Vanbrugh) keen on the outside. But it was cruise control for Remembrall, with Zip Lock (Hellbent) solid in second and Cedrela (Ole Kirk) a nice run in third.
Video: Watch Remembrall at Doomben Trials, video courtesy of Racing QLD
Remembrall is the second foal out of I Remember You (Written Tycoon), a six-time winner up to 1400 metres who placed in the G3 Vamos Stakes. While the family is light on black-type close up, further back it features the Group 2 winner Xilong (Deep Field), and the Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed juvenile Pane In The Glass (Testa Rossa).
Remembrall was passed in short of her $150,000 reserve at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Dolly ‘Booms’ away from her opposition
The second 2-year-old heat of the day, held over 840 metres, saw another Spirit Of Boom filly salute in style. Dolly Boom, trained by Tony Gollan, jumped, led, dominated, and won with ease by just under three lengths from Brooke’s Blooms (Hanseatic), who ran a determined second.
The eye-catching Another Typhoon (Exceed And Excel), related to Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) and Typhoon Tracy (Red Ransom {USA}), ran a nice third, while a Chris and Corey Munce-trained filly named Double Cool (Cool Aza Beel {NZ}) made strong late ground in fourth and could be one to watch later in the season.
Video: Watch Dolly Boom at Doomben Trials, video courtesy of Racing QLD
Dolly Boom is the first foal out of the Listed Calaway Gal Stakes winner Sweet Dolly (Real Saga), who was a four-time juvenile winner. The family includes stakes winners Wonder Boy (Cosmic Force) and Love And Money (Secret Savings). Sweet Dolly recently produced a chestnut colt by Toronado (Ire) in September.
Dolly Boom was purchased for $140,000 from Gollan Racing and John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA) at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale.
It definitely was It’s Allabout Me in Heat 20
Completing a 2-year-old clean sweep for the outstanding Queensland sire Spirit Of Boom at the Doomben trials, it was It’s Allabout Me who took out the second heat over 800 metres, finishing in a time just over 1.5 seconds slower than Dolly Boom.
The Kelly Schweida-trained filly led from the start under Cejay Graham and was simply too quick for her opposition. She maintained a lead of two or more lengths throughout, with Iransofar (Better Than Ready) closing well to be runner-up by a length and a half. With two solid trials under her belt, she looks one to watch for her race debut.
Video: Watch It’s Allabout Me at Doomben Trials, video courtesy of Racing QLD
It’s Allabout Me is the third foal out of Stellara (Sepoy), a winner over 1300 metres. She is a half-sister to South African Group 2 and Group 3 winner Ektifaa (More Than Ready {USA}), and further back comes from the family of Group 1 winner Calveen (Canny Lad) and talented Group 3 winner Thalassophile (Not A Single Doubt).
She was purchased for $100,000 by Rick Connolly Bloodstock and Kelly Schweida Racing from the Amarina Farm draft at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
