Landmark Avon Valley win for Amelia Park

Amelia Park weighed in with another new winner going places when Royal Toronado raced away in the Caduceus Maiden (1300m) at Northam on Thursday.

The 3yo son of Swettenham Stud shuttler Toronado (Ire) was appearing for just the second time following a never-nearer fourth behind Kermit’s Luck at Pinjarra a fortnight ago.  After an early speed battle, he took a trail behind the Simon Miller-trained front-runners There Was A Time and Close Talker before putting the stablemates away in the straight.

Winning jockey Chris Parnham may have got the front earlier than anticipated on Royal Toronado and he had to give the good-looking bay a wake-up call before getting back to business to score by two panels from Bhullar (Bradbury’s Luck).

It was landmark result for Amelia Park owner Peter Walsh.  “We’re thrilled to have our first winner with Williams Racing.  And it puts a smile on the faces for many of the owners who were in his ill-fated half-brother Disengo.  They’re out of our homebred mare Harada Queen who has now had three to race for three winners.”

Walsh sold Royal Toronado for $100,000 at the 2022 Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale and kept a managing share when the youngster was knocked down to Grant and Alana Williams.

Harada Queen (Haradasun) is owned by Walsh, Brian Bradley and John Cipriani and she was a Bunbury maiden winner on debut in October 2015.  Her most recent foals are a 2yo filly by Shooting To Win and a filly foal by Frosted.

Bradley has been breeding from the family going back to fourth dam Marooned Lady (Marooned) and her Stakes winners Special Harmony (G1 VRC Oaks), King Canute (G2 Perth Cup) and Redwoldt (G2 Karrakatta Plate).

Special Harmony is the second-dam of Fangirl (Sebring) who notched her third Group 1 in the ATC Winx Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on August 19.  The G1 MVRC Cox Plate (2040m) is her goal this spring.

Walsh, Bradley and Cipriani also bred and sold this year’s G3 WA Oaks (2400m) winner She’s Fit (Pride Of Dubai) for $50,000 through Amelia Park at the 2021 Perth Magic Millions.

Another winner for the trio last season was Toronado filly Toropa.  She was named TBWA Winner of the Week on July 10 following a debut victory at Belmont.

And Walsh completed a double in the Avon Valley on Thursday with the Craig Parnham-partnered Sofia’s Symphony (Smart Missile) in the Women’s World Ballooning Championship (1000m).  She was purchased out of the Amelia Park draft at the 2021 Perth Magic Millions for $35,000 by Andrew Webster.