A stronger and better version of Tomodachi returned to racing as a 4-year-old this season, collecting back-to-back wins at Tauranga and Ellerslie before flashing home from the back of the field for a close third in last month’s Listed City Of Napier Sprint (1200m). Saturday brought a deserved black-type breakthrough.
“What a mare,” Scott said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s quick ground or wet ground – she’s just a really good racehorse, and she can only get better from here.
“Our concern coming into today was that the pace might not be quick enough for her to relax, but fortunately she did and then she had that kick in the straight.
“To get the big black type and a Group 3 win today is so valuable for the team at Pencarrow, and we still think it’s all in front of her. We can start to get really serious with her next season.
“Her sectional times at Trentham last start were just off the charts. She has an exceptional turn of foot when she’s on quick ground and has the opportunity to let down.”
A big part of Saturday’s success was jockey Joe Doyle, who got Tomodachi to settle into a good rhythm in third-last before saving crucial ground around the home turn.
Tomodachi snuck through the inside and burst to the lead at the top of the straight. Bedtime Story emerged from the pack and chased hard through the last 200m, but Tomodachi was able to hold her out and win by a length and three-quarters.
“She’s all class,” Doyle said. “The track is in bits now and it’s tough wherever you go, so I didn’t see much point in going wide and spending more petrol than I needed to.
“She was on the bridle a little bit today, but looking at her previous races, I’ve seen her pull a lot harder than that.
“Going into next season, when she gets on a good track, she can run some savage splits. She’s very high-class. All credit to Lance, Andrew and the owners.”
Tomodachi became the seventh individual stakes winner for Westbury Stud stallion Tarzino, who has also been in the black-type spotlight this season through the deeds of Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) hero Willydoit, Group 3 Easter Cup (2000m) winner Torranzino and Listed Christmas Cup (2400m) victor Kadavar.
The dam of Tomodachi is the High Chaparral mare Quintessentially, who herself won three races. Second dam Uberalles placed in the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m), while the third dam is the great Ethereal, whose four Group 1 wins included the Melbourne Cup (3200m) and Caulfield Cup (2400m).
O’Sullivan and Scott have now won the Rotorua Stakes two years in a row, having taken out the 2024 edition with Karman Line.
That mare was checked out of contention in the straight on Saturday, but stablemates Lux Libertas (third) and Kelly Coe (sixth) performed with plenty of merit.
“The team’s run well,” Scott said. “Lux Libertas was massive. She was held up behind them and just couldn’t quite get to the right part of the track, but Warren [Kennedy] was really pleased with the way she just kept coming. Kelly Coe hit the line really well too.”
– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
