Torranzino wins Golden Ticket

KIWI horse Torranzino has reigned supreme in the Geelong Cup and booked his spot in next week’s Melbourne Cup.

Jockey Celine Gaudray rode the six-year-old gelding to victory over King Charles III’s horse and hot favourite Gilded Water in the main race on Thursday last week.

The race was originally scheduled to be held on Wednesday last week but was called off due to severe weather and cyclonic winds.

Horsham trainer Paul Preusker drove Torranzino to and from Geelong two days in a row in the hope it would take home ultimate glory.

The Geelong Cup has total prize money of $500,000, and a winners’ prize of $300,000, but the big prize is the golden ticket into the Melbourne Cup field.

Geelong Racing Club president Peter Murrihy said the club was glad to get through what was a difficult meet.

“The Geelong Racing Club was faced with challenging circumstances, but we navigated our way through and by the end of Thursday we had our

Ladbrokes Geelong Cup winner in Torranzino,” he said.

“It was great that a young female jockey Celine Gaudray was on board the winner and now she gets her opportunity in the Lexus Melbourne Cup on November 4.

“The racing club is excited that our cup winner gets a golden ticket into the Melbourne Cup field and planning has already started on the Ladbrokes 2026 Geelong Cup to make it an even bigger event.”