Terrific Tofane crowned Tiara queen

Top-quality mare Tofane added a third Group 1 victory to her resume this afternoon when she posted an impressive and comfortable victory in the G1 Tattersall’s Tiara at Eagle Farm.

The Michael Moroney-trained daughter of Waikato Stud resident Ocean Park was successful in last season’s G1 All Aged S. and ahead of this weekend had triumphed in the G1 Stradbroke H.

“I have to thank my team and Mike and his stable, they all gave me so much confidence that she had improved from her last-start,” successful jockey Craig Williams said.

“It’s a big thrill and she did a fantastic job. I didn’t want to complicate it, I trusted her and she travelled sweetly and I just had to convince her to come wider and she finished it off.”

Tofane settled in behind the leading pack and once Williams had her in clear air she steamed home to win for the seventh time in her 22-start career and take her stake earnings beyond $2.6 million.

The 5-year-old also became just the third mare to complete Group 1 double of the Stradbroke H. and the Tiara, emulating the heroics of Dane Ripper in 1997 and Srikandi 18 years later.

Tofane’s victory completed a memorable day for Waikato Stud following the staggering 12l victory of rising staying star Incentivise in the G3 Tattersall’s Cup.

He posted his sixth consecutive victory and will now relocate to the Victorian stable of Group 1-winning trainer Peter Moody for the Melbourne spring carnival.

Incentivise is a half-brother to the Matamata farm’s youthful stallion prospect Ardrossan, a son of Redoute’s Choice, who won the G3 Concorde H. and was placed in the G1 Waikato Sprint.

They are out of Miss Argyle, an Iglesia mare who is a half-sister to stakes winner Diamondsondinside and the precocious family of this season’s G2 Spirit Of Boom Classic winner Prince Of Boom.