| Tropical Squall confirmed her status as one of the country’s most talented three-year-old fillies with a brilliant first up win in today’s Group One Surround Stakes (1400m) at Randwick. |
| The win was the second Group One in just seven starts for the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained daughter of Prized Icon who was resuming off an unplaced effort in the VRC Oaks in November. The win capped a big day for Tulloch Lodge following Storm Boy’s emphatic win in the Skyline Stakes earlier in the afternoon. “She’s a classy filly as we saw previously,” Bott pointed out. “She had come back so much bigger and stronger this preparation so I was confident that she would be in for a good preparation.” “Just the way the track was playing today, we lost a little bit of confidence against horses with race fitness but it was fantastic to see so it is only up from here.” “I thought she might be vulnerable in the conditions and the 1400-metres first-up.” Tropical Squall carries the famous Gooree Park colours – a relationship between the stable and owner that has stretched many years and numerous Group Ones. “It always holds a special spot to see the Gooree colours and by a stallion that they raced. It is a great story all the way through. They purchased this filly as a weanling.” Bott said there were numerous options for Tropical Squall over the coming weeks and months. “We will probably go through the Coolmore path and assess. She had to do that today to warrant going (there). The Vinery is an option and she is nominated for the Doncaster. There’s plenty of options.” “I think the 1400 metres is her sweet spot and I think stretching her out to an Oaks trip last campaign, we were a little bit rushed. I guess the benefit of the time in the paddock and allowing her to strengthen up has made the difference.” The win continued the successful comeback of rider Adam Hyeronimus – who during the spring teamed up with Tropical Squall to win the Flight Stakes. He also won January’s The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic. “She’s very good, this horse,” a thrilled Hyeronimus said. “After winning the Flight Stakes we tried to go to the (VRC) Oaks and that can be very difficult for three-year-old fillies.” “She really took some time to find her feet this preparation but her improvement from her first trial to her second trial, and her work from that second trial was very good.” “I was very happy the way she worked last Saturday morning and it was probably the best she’s ever worked.” “That gave me great confidence coming to the track today. I wasn’t happy with the conditions today but it just shows how good she is and what she had to overcome.” “I was very pleased with the way she went to the gates, she was nice and fresh. I would have liked a firmer track and the rail but she has really improved the last three weeks.” “I think probably a mile is her sweet spot because she’s got a beautiful high cruising speed and I think that is where she does win her races.” Tropical Squall is a daughter of Gooree Park’s former Victoria Derby winner Prized Icon (More Than Ready) and was bred by Kooringal Stud. She was offered through the Bhima Thoroughbreds draft at the 2021 Gold Coast National Weanling Sale and Gooree placed the successful bid at just $16,000 – not bad considering she’s won over a million dollar from just seven starts! The multiple Group One winning filly is one of five winners produced by her dam, the Fusaichi Pegasus mare Squalls – herself a winner over 1200 metres. Squalls is a half sister to Group Three winner Steflara (dam of two stakes performers including the dam of Flit) and stakes placegetter Misty Blue. Tropical Squall’s second dam Blue Storm was a multiple Group winner in Melbourne, while third dam Gold Hope was a triple Group One winner. The dashing win from the Waterhouse and Bott trained Tropical Squall was one of two Magic Millions sold Group One winners on the day. A short time earlier at Flemington the untapped Southport Tycoon, a $300,000 Gold Coast Yearling Sale buy for Bennett Racing from Daandine Stud, scored a stirring win in the Australian Guineas. Other Magic Millions sold stars on the day at Randwick included the aforementioned Storm Boy in the Group Two Skyline Stakes and Hell Hath No Fury who scored a thrilling and valuable win in the Group Two Guy Walter Stakes. Winner: Tropical Squall Breeding: Prized Icon-Squalls (Fusaichi Pegasus) Race: ATC Surround Stakes G1 (1400m) Sold for: $16,000 Sale: 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale Earnings: $1,009,550 Breeder: Kooringal Stud Vendor: Bhima Thoroughbreds (As Agent) Buyer: Gooree Park Stud Owners: Gooree Stud (Mgr: E M Cojuangco & Mrs J Tioseco) Trainers: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott (Randwick) |
