Promising Perth galloper Tonto is back in work for the G2 WA Derby (2400m) in April.
The son of Vinery sire Onemorenomore won at Belmont and Ascot in October before close-up finishes in the LR Fairetha Stakes, G2 WA Guineas and LR Aquanita Stakes.
“He was still just a big kid during the spring,” trainer Lou Luciani said. “I’ve always said he was a Derby horse in the making.”
Tonto (3g Onemorenomore – Grier Garsonne by Arena) will likely commence his autumn campaign in the LR Lex Piper Stakes (1600m) at Ascot next month. “He worked very well at Bunbury earlier this week,” Luciani said on Wednesday. “He’s a clean-winded horse but only had a short let-up so we will wait and see how many runs he needs leading up to the Derby.”
Luciani prepares Tonto for Amelia Park’s Peter Walsh and owner-breeders Colin Hounsell and Colin Crossley. His stakes winning older half-brother Lethal Jones finished a close-up fifth to Rohan in the 2012 WATC Derby.
Onemorenomore (Red Ransom) is a Top 10 sire on the Australian second-season table with 10 winners of 15 races and $440,000 in prizemoney.
In New Zealand, his stakes-performed filly Purcentage returns from a spell at Te Rapa this Saturday.
