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Classy prospect Prince Of Sussex delivered a timely result for his sire Toronado when he won the inaugural $1 million VOBIS Showdown at Caulfield on Saturday.

He was purchased for $145,000 by trainer Matt Laurie and owner Paul Dugan under the Carringbush Park banner at last year’s Melbourne Premier Sale when they decided to invest in the first yearling progeny by Swettenham Stud’s imported sire Toronado.

Prince Of Sussex Prince Of Sussex won the $250,000 VOBIS Gold Rush at Bendigo last month at only his second start and has now returned $680,000 in prizemoney.

The win had an impact on Sunday’s Melbourne Gold Yearling Sale where Toronado topped the sires’ list by aggregate with seven lots sold for a total of $210,000.

 Laurie said he had selected Prince Of Sussex at last year’s Premier Sale but expected he would not have the money to buy him.

"This horse really stood out to me. To be honest, I thought he was a $200,000 horse.

“Paul Dugan told me he only had $80,000 to spend but as it turned out he had a bit more and we paid $145,000.

"It was a matter of taking a punt on a first-season sire in Toronado."

Prince Of Sussex was conceived, foaled and reared at Swettenham Stud on behalf of owner Chris Jackson who has retained a share in the 2YO colt.

Toronado is now sixth on the first season sires table by prizemoney with Prince Of Sussex among his three first crop winners this season.

Toronado covered 175 mares in his first season at Swettenham Stud in 2015 and last year had a book of 167 mares.

Prince Of Sussex is a half-brother to three-time winner Algadon Miss (Equiano) from the winning Testa Rossa mare Il Diamante, a half-sister to the G3 winner Montauk (More Than Ready).

Il Diamante is from the Octagonal mare Diamond Cove, a Listed winner in New Zealand, and produced a sister to Prince Of Sussex in 2018.

Swettenham Stud also shared in another exciting winner on the Caulfield program when Tarwin, a son of Melbourne Cup winner Americain, won the $300,000 VOBIS 3YO Sires.

Americain was recently transferred from Swettenham Stud, where he spent his first six seasons, to Daisy Hill Stud, the property of his owners Colleen and Kevin Bamford.

Tarwin, who has now won three of his four starts, was bred by the Wooldridge family who race him with Paul and Jenny O'Sullivan. He gets his name from their farm on the Tarwin River in Gippsland in Victoria.

Trainer Mick Kent said a trip to Brisbane for the Queensland Guineas will be considered for Tarwin.

Other notable winners on the VOBIS Gold race day were classy miler Widgee Turf and classic contender Mr Quickie.

The Patrick Payne-trained Widgee Turf Widgee Turf (Turffontein) – a $4500 weanling -  went past $1.1 million in prizemoney when he won VOBIS Gold Mile while a crack at the G1 South Australian Derby is now on the agenda for the Shamus Award 3YO Mr Quickie after he landed the VOBIS Gold Heath over 2000m.

Tasmanian 4YO Twitchy Frank Twitchy Frank[(Choisir) won the VOBIS Gold Distaff, the VOBIS Gold Dash went to the Magnus sprinter Halvorsen Halvorsen and Stradbroke entry Iconoclasm (Toorak Toff) won the VOBIS Gold first-up for his new trainer Danny O’Brien.

Halvorsen’s trainer Robbie Griffiths got a double bonus as he also bred and part owns the 3YO. Griffiths also bred Halvorsen's dam Flourishing (Not A Single Doubt).