Widden Graduate Tobeornottobe Wins G3
A $200,000 Inglis Premier purchase from Widden Stud, Pierata filly Tobeoronottobe went into the $200,000 Group III VRC Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday as a talented maiden and came out a stakes-winner when she downed the favourite Ameena with a powerful late surge.
Trained by Robbie Griffiths and Matt de Kock and ridden by Jye McNeil, Tobeornottobe was second on debut in the Group III MRC Blue Diamond Preview and then fourth in the Group II MRC Blue Diamond Prelude chasing star filly Hayasugi home on both occasions.
She enjoyed the straight six at Flemington, travelling well in the outside group and finding the line with a rush to win by a length at her third start.
"Tobeornottobe too quick for them!"
Minor upset in the Breeders Stakes!@GriffithsdeKock @JyeMcNeil pic.twitter.com/VDopsBuhYW
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) March 30, 2024
“She’s an absolute ripper,” said Robbie Griffiths.
“She did everything right in the preludes, but got a little cut on her leg and couldn’t run in the Diamond final, so we elected to just wait for this and it’s paid dividends.
“Our pre race thoughts were that we were hoping it was a two horse race and we’d come out on top. The fillies around Australia are outstanding this year and we’ve seen that in the Blue Diamond and the Slipper and this filly’s form lines tie in with them.
“We’re hoping to go the Percy Sykes (G2 Randwick ) in two weeks.”
Bred by Widden Stud in partnership, Tobeornottobe was bought by Griffiths de Kock Racing / Peter Ford Thoroughbreds and is the best of two winners from stakes-winning Written Tycoon mare Shakespearean Lass, who was bought by Widden / Russian Camelot Syndicate at the 2021 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale for $270,000.
Widden sold a yearling filly from Shakespearean Lass by Russian Camelot (IRE) at Magic Millions Adelaide this year for $180,000 to Griffiths de Kock Racing/Peter Ford T’Breds (FBAA)/Yabby Dam Farm, so connections were obviously confident Tobeornottobe was something well above average!
