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11th stakes winner for Toronado, the day after Masked Crusader becomes the Swettenham Stud shuttler’s first Group 1 winner

Fresh off the back of siring his first Group 1 winner when Masked Crusader landed the William Reid Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) at Moonee Valley on Friday night, Swettenham Stud-based shuttler Toronado (High Chaparral) added an 11th stakes winner to his record when Laverrod (4 g ex Demasheen by Fastnet Rock) proved too strong for his rivals in the Hareeba Stakes (Listed, 1200m) at Mornington on Saturday.

Trained by Sean and Jake Casey and ridden by William Pike, the four-year-old gelding raced four wide and as the field entered the straight, pre-race favourite Ancestry (The Brothers War) looked to have slipped the field. However, Laverrod kept responding to Pike’s urgings, coming home strongly to beat How Womantic (The Wow Signal) by three-quarters of a length. Hightail (Written Tycoon) was another quarter of a length in third, just edging out four-placed Ancestry in the shadow of the winning post. 

"He's been knocking on the door and he got everything going his way today so we're really happy,” said co-trainer Jake Casey. 

"He mainly just came over with Dom To Shoot to have a few races here as there's not a lot there (in WA) for him with his rating being so high. It's good that they both got the job done today."

Bred by Randwick Bloodstock Agency, Taj Farm and Stephen Whitlin, the gelding was purchased by James Bester for $140,000 from the Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm draft at the Magic Millions Weanling Sale in 2017 and was then subsequently bought by Yenrise at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale from the Coolmore Stud draft the following year. 

Laverrod is one of four winners out dual Fastnet Rock (Danehill) mare Demasheen, who Randwick Bloodstock Agency purchased for $75,000 at the Inglis Great Southern Weanling and Bloodstock Sale in 2016, when carrying the gelding in utero. The mare was then bought by Whitling Bloodstock for $120,000 at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale in 2017. 

In 2020 Demasheen produced a filly by Eureka Stud-based resident Spirit Of Boom (Sequalo) and was covered by Darley Stud-based shuttler Blue Point (Shamardal) last September. 

Laverrod becomes the sixth stakes winner for Toronado in Australia and he is currently standing at Haras de Bouquetot for a fee of €8,000. 

Earlier in the afternoon, Laverrod’s stablemate Dom To Shoot (Shooting To Win) provided the Casey’s with an impressive double when he landed the Mornington Guineas (1600m). 

Having been last seen running 13th of 15 in the Australian Guineas, the son of Shooting To Win (Northern Meteor) clearly appreciated the step back in class when he defeated Let's Karaka Deel (Dundeel) by a head, while Black Penn (Written Tycoon) was another length and a quarter away in third.