Mature Torsheen to strike at Caulfield

Race experience and maturity have been the making of Torsheen.

The Shane Nichols and Hayden Black-trained filly will be out to add to her record in the Jack Elliott Handicap (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

Torsheen has been a revelation this campaign, breaking the track record in a 1200m win at Sale in January which was followed by placings at Sandown and Caulfield Heath before a win at Caulfield Heath as a short-priced favourite.

But it was the filly’s placing at her last start in the Group 3 Typhoon Tracy Stakes (1200m) behind Point Barrow at Caulfield that was ultra-pleasing for Nichols.

Nichols said dropping Torsheen back from 1400m to the shorter trips had been the making of Torsheen this campaign.

“We stepped her out in distance to 1400 (metres) a couple of times last prep, and she doesn’t really get it,” Nichols said.

“The tempo of the 1200 (metres) really suits her and she’s a magnificent looking filly, big, strong, powerful filly, and it probably just took her a bit of time to mature into herself.

“She broke the track record at Sale, won as a short-priced favourite at Caulfield Heath and it took Point Barrow to run her down at Caulfield last time.

“It would have been lovely for a ‘Black Type’ win, but at least it gives her a Group 3 placing.

“She’s going to go through the Inglis Chairman’s Sale as a race filly next month and I think she could bring quite a significant amount of money.

“She had a half-sister, De Sonic Boom, that went for $725,000 retired, so I would imagine this filly is worth similar sort of money.

“The draw on Saturday is tricky in 12, but she has good gate speed, and we will be rolling up into the race, I would assume.

“She’s better off keeping a tempo, rather than being held up.”

Nichols has plans of potentially heading to Adelaide with Torsheen after Saturday, depending on her performance.

But the Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) on April 25 will not be a target with fillies like My Gladiola and Point Barrow heading that way.

“There is a race on Mornington Cup Day (April 18) that may suit, or there is the (Group 2) Tobin Bronze Stakes at Morphettville a week later that could be a nice race for her,” Nichols said.

“It would be a better option than taking on My Gladiola and Point Barrow.”