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Toorak Affair took all before her last season, but her trainer Michael Trinder says the mare has returned to racing better than ever.
And who could argue with the 71-year-old veteran mentor after Toorak Affair made it successive weight-for-age victories when she outgunned archrival Mandela Effect in the $100,000 Kevin Sharkie Tasmanian Stakes over 1600m in Launceston on Friday.
The veteran trainer believes his stable star has returned to racing better than ever and can win successive Ladbrokes Hobart cups.
Toorak Affair won last season's Hobart Cup at the end of a brilliant run of victories leading to the Group 3 event.
"I was just hoping she would come back with similar form to last season but, believe it or not, she is better," Trinder said.
"I still ride the mare in trackwork, so I know how well she is going.
"I had her first-up in the Newmarket Handicap and thought she could win, and she went very close and then she came out and won the Conquering Stakes at weight-for-age over 1400m.
"Today she was probably a bit dour, but still had what it took to run down Mandela Effect and that's no mean feat because he is a very good horse."
Mandela Effect was third-up from a spell and was backed into favouritism as he was the winner if the race last season and he was third-up at his pet distance of 1600m.
Mandela Effect forged to the lead in the home straight and looked set to win but he was unable to withstand Toorak Affair's powerful finish with Anthony Darmanin aboard.
"The mare will now go to the Summer Cup that is a weight-for-age race over 2200m in Hobart in a fortnight and that should have her spot-on for the Hobart Cup two weeks later.
Trinder also saddled up Liffeybeau to win the Winzenberg Trophy over 1100m.
Liffeybeau settled fifth in the field of six, but one-off with cover, while Gee Gee Lanett set the speed with the favourite Street Tough on her outside to the home turn.
But when rider Troy Baker asked Liffeybeau for an effort, Trinder's seven-year-old quickly gathered in the leaders and shot three lengths clear and staved off the fast-finishing Blaze Forth to win by over a length with Balearic edging the favourite Street Tough out of third place.
