12 Australian Winners for Johannesburg

26th July 2007

Johannesburg has broken the deadlock in the Australian first season sires battle after the Paul Perry trained gelding Toughened (2g Johannesburg - Mont Tremblant, by St Jovite) won at Gosford on Thursday to become his twelfth Australian winner.

Resuming after a spell having finished second on debut at Scone on February 26, Toughened jumped swiftly from an outside draw and crossed to lead before kicking clear in the straight to win the 1200 metre maiden by more than a length.

Toughness was purchased by Paul Perry for $180,000 from the draft of Ascot Farm at the 2006 NZB Premier Yearling Sale and is a half-brother to Perry’s talented sprinter Biscayne Bay, a Group Two winner of six races and over $300,000 in prizemoney.

One of 12 individual Australian winners this season for Johannesburg, Toughness was bred by John Cameron, the International Manager of NZB and is the third foal of the St Jovite mare Mont Tremblant, a half-sister to American stakes-winner Careless Secretary from the family of former leading sire Nassipour.

Johannesburg now holds a margin of one over Falvelon and Rock of Gibraltar in the battle to be crowned leading first season sire by indiviudal winners with just five days of the Australian racing season to run.

Rock of Gibraltar will have the chance to level the score at Canterbury on Friday with one runner, Book of Kells.