Torcedor Wins Again in Ireland

When David Ellis went to Europe in August 2013 (just before his heart surgery), he did so with the intention of buying a good staying type of horse from the Deauville Sale.

The horse that caught his eye instantly was a Fastnet Rock colt out of Magnolia Lane, the mare a full sister to Yeats, the winner of an incredible four Ascot Gold Cups (who now stands at stud).  Pictured below as a yearling, the colt came up very early in the sale - in fact he was Lot 1 at Arqana's sale - and he was knocked down to David for 70,000 euros.  It took David less than an hour to sell the shares in him with Sir Peter Vela, Sir Patrick Hogan, Mohammed Moussa and Laurie Laxon each taking a quarter and David managing the horse.

That was David's first foray into the European market and it has been a very successful one too!

On Sunday in Ireland Torcedor won the 150,000 euros Northfields handicap over 1m 2f in a time of 2.11.55 and took his record to six starts for two wins, two second, one third and one fourth placing.  He has never been out of the money and with the purse for first at 90,000 euros, he has now won 105,175 euros in prizemoney - about $187,000 in NZ dollars!

Trained in Ireland for us by David Wachman, Torcedor has struck up a good relationship with jockey Wayne Lordan who rode the colt to his debut win (also at The Curragh) on Irish Oaks' Day.

This second win was no less impressive and on Irish St Leger day too - a real thrill to see the Te Akau colours win for the second time at one of the world's most famous racecourses, the home of Irish racing, The Curragh.

Donal Murphy of irishracing.com reports:

Torcedor (12/1) just held off Fog Of War in the closing Irish Stallion Farms EBF 'Northfields' Handicap.

The three-year-old won his maiden on his fourth start at the Curragh in July before finishing half a length second to Harasava on his handicap debut at the Galway Festival.

He got a clear run from the two furlong pole, keeping on well to lead inside the final furlong before holding off the late challenge to prevail by a short-head.

Winning trainer David Wachman told www.irishracing.com: "He's a nice horse and did it well. He's an improving horse.

"He ran well in Galway. He'll be a nice four-year-old next year. He's very big and is only coming to himself.

"That was a nice pot to win. That was the plan but there's no reason we couldn't find another spot for him this year."