The win of Vaz De Torres at Eagle Farm on Wednesday came with a free geography lesson from trainer Robert Heathcote.
Vaz De Torres is a son of Henrythenavigator and Heathcote said the gelding is named after a 17th century Spanish ocean explorer.
Luis Vaz de Torres is credited with being the first person to navigate the body of water separating Australia and Papua New Guinea which now bears his name, the Torres Strait.
Heathcote was relieved to see the three-year-old chart the right course back from an odds-on defeat at his previous start at Ipswich.
“I took him to Ipswich thinking the trip away would be good for his experience but I think he was a bit intimidated by the track and the tight turns,” Heathcote said.
“He just did a lot wrong but maybe today we’ve seen the benefit of taking him there with that experience under his belt.”
Ridden by Chris Munce, Vaz De Torres ($3.70) led most of the way to defeat Rojo Grande, the $1.90 favourite, by 3-1/2 lengths.
“I told the stewards before the race I expected him to race a lot further forward than he did at Ipswich because he’s starting to put it all together,” Heathcote said.
Heathcote is hoping Tiger Jet ($3.20) can take some confidence out of his win in the Sky International Plate.
“In trackwork he gallops with some good horses and can beat them and yet on raceday he hasn’t been letting go,” he said.
Jockey Damian Browne is confident the son of Jet Spur will be competitive in races up to 2000 metres.
Browne was suspended for careless riding at the Sunshine Coast last Saturday which started after his two Eagle Farm rides on Wednesday.
He will return to the saddle on September 14.
His suspension has cost him the ride on last year’s Queensland Oaks winner Quintessential who resumes in Saturday’s Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) at Flemington.
