Champion stayer Tornado Tears – affectionately dubbed “Batman” – was back with a bang in tonight’ s Group 1 Bold Trease (715m) at Sandown Park.
Trained at Lara by Robert Britton, the ageless Tornado Tears proved you should never write-off a champion in notching his fifth G1 victory. This was the first time in his past 40 outings that he hadn’t started favourite!
It was also Britton’s fourth Bold Trease title in seven years, having saluted with Cheetah Zorro (2013), Fanta Bale (2017) and Barcali (2018).
“I’m really pleased to tell you the truth because we were hoping he’d turn it around. You see his ability and if he gets a crack at them (the leaders) he’s always going to be very hard to beat,” Britton said.
“It has been a lucky race for me. It’s funny greyhound racing, there’s other races you simply just can’t (seem to) win. I think there’s no logical reason for it. But we’ve had a great run in the Bold Trease.”
Mid-field in the early stages, Tornado Tears ($4.60) kept working his way through along the fence to hit the front on the home turn. He defeated Boom Down ($4.10F) – who once again came from the clouds – by just over two and a half lengths, with Just Terms ($6.90) – prepared by Anthony Azzopardi, who’d won the Melbourne Cup with Whiskey Riot two races earlier – a neck away third in 41.85sec.
Britton also trains Blazing Cartier ($5.70), who finished fifth in the event. In fact, he has prepared 13 Bold Trease finalists.
Tornado Tears registered his 31st win from 52 starts, and the $105,000 winner’s cheque lifted his earnings to $884,120. It was his 10th win from 11 starts over Sandown’s staying trip.
“The punters haven’t always been happy with him in the last few weeks but I think if they buttered up tonight the odds were pretty good,” Britton said.
“I thought he was over the odds. All things being equal he’s probably the best dog in the race. I don’t say that bragging, I just think he is. But his last few runs weren’t that great.”
Britton said he is yet to decide where to race Torando Tears next, but suggested next month’s Group 1 Sale Cup could be on the agenda.
