One time Karrakatta Plate hopeful Nine Tenors made a barnstorming return to the track when she thrashed her rivals to win yesterday’s Westspeed 3YO Handicap (1000m) at Belmont.

A daughter of Stravinsky’s Australian based sire son Oratorio, Nine Tenors showed sizzling speed and a strong kick late to beat her rivals by almost two lengths.

It was the first start for Nine Tenors following a debut fifth at Ascot in March when she was found to be shinsore.

The exciting filly is yet to taste defeat in trials – winning two at Belmont prior to her debut and another two leading into yesterday’s return.

Nine Tenors is trained by leading trainer Jim Taylor, the buyer of Nine Tenors at last year’s Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale for $30,000.

“After her trial the other day Jason (Brown) said, just put her in a 1000 metre race and you’d expect to win,” Taylor said.

Nine Tenor’s win continued the great recent form of top Perth hoop Shaun O’Donnell who stepped in for Jason Brown who’d ridden the filly at all of her trials and her previous one run.

The promising filly showed above average ability right from the first time she was asked for an effort in trackwork and after two trial wins connections felt the state’s richest juvenile race, the Karrakatta Plate, could be within reach.

“She was working very well and I didn’t have any babies that could keep up with her,” Taylor said.

“I said to the owners it might be worth having something on her at 100/1 – but she went shinesore in her debut.”

“She’s a very racy filly,” he added. “(Her most recent trial) was run in driving rain and a strong head wind and her time on the day was very comparable with the other trials in better conditions.”

Nine Tenors is the 55th individual winner for Oratorio – a former outstanding two and three-year-old trained by Lee Freedman.

At two Oratorio won the Magic Millions Adelaide 2YO Classic and at three he captured the Group Three CS Hayes Stakes at Moonee Valley.

Oratorio’s early stars as a sire include stakes winners Motion Pictures, Clueless Angel, Gold Rocks and Waratah’s Secret.

Nine Tenors is the first runner to date for the twice winning Metal Storm mare Metalady – good enough to win a Class One as a maiden.

The cream of Oratorio’s 2010 foaled crop will go under the hammer at February’s 2012 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale – many of them in the draft of the stud he stands, Gray and Jan Williamson’ Mungrup Stud.

Winner: Nine Tenors
Breeding: Oratorio-Metalady (Metal Storm)
Race: WATC Westspeed 3YO Handicap (1000m)
Sold for: $30,000
Sale: 2010 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale
Vendor: Mungrup Stud (As Agent)
Buyer: Jim Taylor
Earnings: $23,380
Owner(s): C Hamilton, DM Jones, RP Watson, D Martin, K Jones, V Patrick, K Millar, G Dyson & Mrs T Taylor
Trainer: Jim Taylor (Bullsbrook)

PICS – Damien Wyer.