Swettenham’s popular stallion Toronado attained his first winner in Australia when the two-year-old Powertrain had a stylish debut win over 1100 metres at Scone Racing Club.
Saluting in the iconic Arrowfield colours and prepared by local trainer, Paul Messara, Powertrain was given the perfect ride by in-form jockey Ash Morgan for owners Arrowfield Stud, Redbank Pastoral, and Alan Jones’ Belford Productions.
Racing over 1100 metres, Powertrain jumped well and travelled under his own steam to take the lead, but for Swettenham Stud’s Adam Sangster, he was most thrilled to see him emulate the style of racing made famous by his sire.
“It was great to see that when he was headed in the straight, he fought back and won. That shows the same tenacity as Toronado. He loved to take on the competition and fight.”
“Toronado has been knocking on the door, and it’s a real thrill to get his first winner on the board. Congratulations to Arrowfield and Paul Messara.”
Sangster has followed Powertrain’s progress closely since a foal, with the promising galloper now coming into his own.
We went up to the Hunter to inspect the horse on farm at Arrowfield early on. We have always been pleased with him.”
“He was one of the first Toronado’s to go through the ring at the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast sale. Arrowfield had an excellent opinion of him, and they were not going to give him away. Paul was quite bullish that if he did not make the reserve, they would race him themselves.”
“At that stage, people had not been greatly exposed to Toronado’s yearlings, so he flew under the radar. He was a lovely forward type and an excellent representation of his sire.”“Although initially, Messara thought he might have needed a bit more time with his High Chaparral bloodlines, after his first two trials, he looked to be quite progressive. As we know, Toronado was precocious himself, and won at Group 2 level as a two-year-old.”
Messara will now look to push on and aim for some stake’s races in the Autumn for Powertrain, provided he has come through the race well.
“Being out of a Not A Single Doubt mare, he is probably bred to go to 1200 to 1400 metres, potentially even a mile, rather than stick to pure 1100 metre contests. He is the perfect late two-year-old, 1400 metres horse,” Sangster said.
Powertrain’s dam, Push and Shove was purchased by Arrowfield as a yearling and was sent to Swettenham in her first year at stud. She is a half-sister to Group 1 performer and listed winner Raceway, out of the Flying Spur mare, Claws.
“Arrowfield are good supporters of Swettenham, and it is great that John Messara is supporting Victorian studs and stallions. He has a huge amount of faith in Toronado himself,” Sangster said.
“We wish Arrowfield good luck with the half-brother to Powertrain, the yearling colt by Dundeel that they will offer as lot 620 at the Inglis Classic Sale, proudly representing the successful High Chaparral bloodlines.”
While as his name translates, if the chassis is the skeleton of a car, the powertrain is the musculature system. The powertrain encompasses every component that converts the engine’s power into movement.
Perfectly named, he certainly had the bigger engine and the most horsepower on the line!