Toronado (Ire), who has also made a major impression in the Northern Hemisphere with stakes performers from his first crop, has been well-patronised at Adam Sangster’s Victorian nursery and the son of High Chaparral (Ire) was given a further boost at Caulfield on Saturday.

The Matt Laurie-trained Prince Of Sussex followed up a previous win with a commanding performance to claim the inaugural running of the $950,000 Ladbrokes Showdown and the second victory of his three-start career.

“Prince Of Sussex has always had a big spruik on him,” Swettenham Sales and Nominations Manager Sam Matthews said.

“In his first start he was probably ridden a bit upside down. He didn’t let down and didn’t really know what he was doing.

“Then he won at Bendigo and on Saturday we thought he was in a bit of trouble on the corner, but he’s just a true professional now. He won it pretty easily in the end.”

Swettenham has also been pleasantly surprised with sale ring results for Toronado in 2019.

“We knew the Toronados would sell well in the second year. When a horse has had one winner when Melbourne Premier comes around, then for them to have a higher average in the second year than the first was unexpected,” Matthews said.

“It gives us a lot of confidence how many trainers have high opinions of them if they’re willing to keep the average up and over and above the first year.

“He had 167 mares last year, which was his biggest book outside of his first year.

“He’s a son of High Chaparral and when you look at Dundeel and So You Think you don’t really expect them to have early, early 2-year-olds so everything he’s doing now is a bit of a bonus.

“Covering big numbers in his fourth year shows breeders have a lot of faith in him. His fee’s gone up, but we’ll be looking after people who have supported him in the past.”

On Sunday, Toronado also topped the sires’ list at the Inglis Melbourne Gold Yearling Sale at Oaklands Junction with aggregate sales of $210,000 across his seven sold lots.

“There were some really nice horses there and there were a few bargains,” Matthews said.

The fees for Toronado’s associate sires will remain unchanged this year with Highland Reel (Ire) at $16,500 (inc GST), Akeed Mofeed (GB) $16,500, Puissance de Lune (Ire) $8800, Trust In A Gust $6600 and the recently announced Sioux Nation at $17,600.

“Adam’s going to Ireland in a few weeks to look at Highland Reel’s first foals. He covered a really nice book up there,” Matthews said.

“He covered 148 mares here and one of the reasons we got Sioux Nation was that Victorian breeders supported Highland Reel so heavily.

“They really got behind him. His fertility was outstanding and he covered such a good book.

“With Sioux Nation it’s a first opportunity in Victoria for anyone who likes the Scat Daddy line.

“This is the most precocious horse he’s produced. He’s a Group 1 and 2 winning 2-year-old on turf and is exactly what we believe breeders in Victoria want. "

“He’s a big, strong and strapping horse who really fills the eye.”

Breeders have also reaped the rewards of sending mares to the dual Group 1 winner Trust In A Gust.

“His yearlings have sold up to $90,000 – 15 times his service fee, which you don’t see happening very often,” Matthews said.

“We’re racing a few of them ourselves. We’re supporting him both in the sales ring and on the track.”

Americain (USA) stood for six seasons at Swettenham and while he has relocated to Daisy Hill Stud, where he will stand at $8800 (inc GST), they are still involved in the promotion of the stallion.

“Daisy Hill and Gerry Ryan own him and we were standing him on behalf of them,” Matthews said. “We’ll still help them out with sales and marketing.

“He should have a good season, Tarwin was a great winner at Caulfield. Prince Of Sussex won the 2-year-old race and Tarwin won the 3-year-old version.”

Swettenham Stud Service Fees 2019