Tokorangi impresses at Matamata
Exciting juvenile filly Tokorangi galloped into Karaka Million contention when blitzing her rivals in the KB Bloodstock 1100 at Matamata on Tuesday. The Mike Moroney and Pam Gerard-trained daughter of Redwood jumped away well from her ace barrier to take an early lead for jockey Cameron Lammas.
The pair dictated terms throughout and kicked clear at the top of the straight to win by 6-1/2 lengths over Perfectionist, with Mongolian Condor a further nose away in third. Her connections were pleased with her heading into Tuesday, but admitted to being a bit surprised by her effortless performance. “I didn’t think she’d kick away like that and then she just kept kicking,” Gerard said. “It’s great to see some first time owners here. Some have travelled from Dannevirke, and it’s great we have got them a fast horse.”
Tokorangi, who finished runner-up on debut at Te Rapa last month, advanced her earnings to $12,250 on Tuesday and put herself into calculations for the Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie on January 25. “We’ll wait and see what unfolds over the next few weeks as to whether or not she makes the (Karaka Million) field,” Gerard said. “She is very professional and you can’t really deny the owners a chance to race for a million dollars.”
Tokorangi was purchased out of Bradbury Park’s 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 2 Yearling Sale draft for $30,000 by bloodstock agent Paul Moroney and Ballymore Stables. “We saw her come off the float and she was so professional from the first time she paraded. Mike and Paul were quite taken with her too,” Gerard said. Bradbury Park will offer her full-sister in this year’s Book 2 sale at Karaka on January 30.