JUAN TUFFAMIGO (TOUGH SPEED – COMIC CONNECTION) won impressively at Cranbourne for trainer Ray Besanko over 1400m. The very next day TOUGH VINTAGE (TOUGH SPEED – DAZZLING VINTAGE) won its 3 year old maiden at Ballarat for trainer Mark Riley and jockey Chris Symonds.

TOUGH SPEED stands at Armidale Stud in Tasmania and his service fee for the 2013 season is a very reasonable $2750 inc. GST.

Recent Listed winner BANCA MO (by TOUGH SPEED) is now in the paddock spelling, and a Spring Carnival campaign is planned.

Starting the favourite BANCA MO, scored by an impressive 5 lengths carrying the top weight of 58 kg. Having won his last 2 starts, BANCA MO, came into the race with good form, with his last start victory at Flemington over 2000 on the 13th April, after winning the Packenham Cup in March. Although enjoying a number of stakes placings, this was the first stakes win for the lightly raced 5 year old gelding.

Trained in Tasmanian by father and son team DAVID AND SCOTT BRUNTON, BANCA MO will now head to the Spring Carnival in search of further stakes victories. He has now won 11 of his 21 starts for almost $450,000 in prizemoney. Purchased as a bargain buy for $2100  by owner Mandy Gunn at the Tasmanian Yearling Sales, BANCA MO’s impressive win has caught the eye of some good judges.

LEE FREEDMAN tweeted yesterday Banca Mo can win a bigger race. Far too good today. Love to have penny on him in a Caufield Cup on the limit weight.

David Brunton also commented that Robert Smerdon said to him when the horse first went to his stables last year - This horse is capable of winning Group races.

TOUGH SPEED , sire of BANCA MO, stands at Armidale Stud in Tasmania for a service fee of $2200.

MISS EVE CANDY (Savoire Vivre – Falling Rain) was beaten a nose in the opening event a class 1 over 1400m

WAY TO GO TELESTO (Telesto – Way To Go Ruby), trained by Brighton mentor Royston Carr, and bred by Armidale Stud won the second race a class 1 over 1600m.

John Blacker recorded a win in his home state (John currently trains out of Seymour in Victoria) with the Tassie bred gelding FILL OUT THE TICKET (Savoire Vivre – Nuclear Free), who was a good thing beaten at his last start at Spreyton. With top jockey Brendon McCoull in the saddle, the son of leading sire SAVOIRE VIVRE won by nearly 2 lengths in the Maiden over 1200m. Second in the race was GREAT WHITE (Telesto – Bonnie darling) bred and raced by Bill and Mary Ryan of Longford.

In the Open Sprint Armidale breds had to be content with 2nd, 3rd and 4th placings behind the smart Brunton trained sprinter PUNCTUATE. LADALI (Ladoni), TOUGH AT HEART (Tough Speed) and MISWAKI CALL (Tough Speed) filled the minor placings.

Armidale bred mare DIGGER’S SUNRISE (Tough Speed- Sunset Clause) won the Class 2 over 1400m for trainer Terry Roles and jockey David Piers. And in the final race on the card  the SAVOIRE  VIVRE sired gelding MUSIQUE PLAYER  was victorious in the Benchmark 62 over 2100m, for the Runnymede Stud Racing and Breeding syndicate and trainers Charlie and Luella Goggin.

Brilliant mare REBEL BRIDE (Telesto – Striking Sort) went down by a nose in the Listed Vamos Stakes over 1400m, in the most exciting finish of the evening, with only a nose and a nose between the first 3 horses.

PACKEDTOTHERAFTERS and TUKTOYAKTUK won the last 2 races for deceased Armidale sire SAVOIRE VIVRE (GB), and MISS NO SOCKS (Ladoni – Flying Sword) won the Class 1 over 1200m for trainer Dean Wells with top jockey Craig Newitt in the saddle.

DATE AND SIGN (from West With Pride and bred by John and Clare Farrell of Hobart) won the Class 1 over 1200m for trainer S Lockhart, and apprentice jockey Sigrid Carr.

ANOTHER LAD AL (from Hi Diddle Diddle) won the Benchmark 62 over 2100m for trainer Rod Seymour, with interstate jockey D Dunn in the saddle.

Armidale will be offering only ONE LADONI (GB) at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale on Thursday 14th February. From top two year old and proven producer ESCAPADA (by Weasel Clause) this filly is certainly worthy of inspection. She’s a beautifully balanced filly, with a great outlook and nice active walk. She reminds me of her dam in attitude and mannerisms,  and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if she made a two year old as she does everything that is asked of her with minimal fuss. And, also like her dam, she loves her food and licks her bin clean very feed. Finally she’s a product of that well know nick that seems to work so well – Danehill crossed with Star Kingdom. She is catalogued as Lot 43 . For a photograph of the filly go to YEARLING DRAFT 2013 on this web site, or visit magic millions web site, and click on the photo link beside Lot 43 in the Tasmanian Catalogue.