No horse in Australia has a more clear-cut long-term goal than Saturday’s Flemington winner Twilight Royale.
Already one of the biggest money-winning two-year-olds in the country, Twilight Royale has put herself in line for a $2.4 million bonus.
Twilight Royale winning at Flemington - photo by Race Horse Photos Australia
All she has to do is wait 12 months, hold her form and win the 2014 Scone Guineas.
Twilight Royale’s win in the Group Two Sires Produce Stakes took her prizemoney total to $485,000, a figure surpassed among the juvenile brigade by only Blue Diamond winner Miracles Of Life and Magic Millions winner Real Surreal.
Twilight Royale ($8) gave most of the field a start before bursting onto the scene in the final 250m and hanging on to score by a short neck from Shamus Award ($6) with a half length to Great Esteem ($10) in third.
For at least one of the filly’s owners, the win had an immediate, added bonus.
Craig Tognolini owns a 20 per cent share of Twilight Royale who cost $45,000 as a yearling.
On race eve he accepted an offer of $45,000 for half of his share on the condition that the money was deposited in his bank account by Friday night.
The money didn’t arrive and Twilight Royale did, and Tognolini has now upped the price for any future buyer.
“I’m not sure I’d want to sell now that we have the bonus ahead of us,” he said.
The win also provided a highlight in the career of trainer Bjorn Baker who has made a huge impression on Sydney racing this season.
