The well-tried three-year-old gelding, ridden by Luke Nolen, didn’t look like a maiden when it pulled out from behind the frontrunning favourite and then simply blew it away.
Which proved all too much for the heavily backed Kryptonite, which fell in a hole inside the last 100m to finish fourth.
Benalla Races: Locals come out on top to end the day
From the Hayes/Dabernig stable at Euroa, it was just a short ride down the highway to Benalla and its first win.
Speaking after the win Tom Dabernig said Torbreck had been gelded during its five months he was off the track and come back into work as a much more mature horse.
“On paper there didn’t look to be a lot of speed in this race and we gave Luke (jockey Luke Nolen) an open book, telling him if Torbreck jumped well not to be afraid to push him forward,” Dabernig said.
“And that’s what he did, he just put himself there and did it comfortably to win by two lengths,” he said.
“I did think it might be a little short for him but with his freshness was able to spring well and I think we will see him over longer distances next time he’s back on the track.”
Last-Race Russ, Billabong Bilby up to old tricks at Pakenham
Dabernig said with Benalla just 30 minutes from their Euroa base it makes it an attractive opportunity for maidens at the stable.
But didn’t argue when asked whether this win would now put Torbreck on track for a slightly longer drive to a meeting in town.
“We will have a look at it as we had preferred to kick him off on turf as well,” Dabernig added.
Australia’s favourite horse was always a hit in the region
“He is a horse with a lovely action and I think we should see some progression after today’s win,” he said.
In the $23,000 Vale Rob Gaylard Plate over 2046m – the opening event on the card – the Robbie Griffiths trained Token Spirit stunned punters and commentators when it won the race at just its second start.
Its first race was 1200m on Ballarat’s synthetic track and on the back of that eighth out of 10 Griffiths pushed it out to 2046m to the amazement of the wider industry – and won by a length.
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