Toormore

Background

Toormore is a bay colt with a white star and snip bred in Ireland by BEC Bloodstock. His sire, Arakan, was an American-bred horse who raced in Europe, winning the Criterion Stakes in 2004 and the Supreme Stakes in 2005. Apart from Toormore, the best of his progeny has been the Prix Jean Prat winner Dick Turpin. Toormore was the fourth foal of the unraced mare Danetime Out. a descendant of the broodmare Blue Sash and a distant relative of the 1000 Guineas winner Mrs McArdy.

As a yearling, Toormore was sent to the Doncaster Bloodstock Sale where he was sold for 36,000 guineas. He entered the ownership of Middleham Park Racing IX & James Pak, The syndicate owners are James Pak, Keith and Tony Denham, Lynn Douglas, Steve Studley, Peter Barker, Brian Palmer and Danny Nundram. He was sent into training with Richard Hannon, Sr. at East Everleigh in Wiltshire. He was ridden in most of his early races by Richard Hughes in the light blue and orange silks of Middleham Park Racing.

2013: two-year-old season

Toormore made his racecourse debut in a maiden race over six furlongs at Leicester Racecourse on 28 May. Starting the 5/2 joint-favourite in a field of twelve runners he took the lead approaching the final furlong and won by a neck from Ertijaal, with a gap of seven lengths back to Major Crispies in third. More than two months later, Toormore returned for the Group Two Vintage Stakes over seven furlongs at Goodwood Racecourse and was made the 5/4 favourite ahead of Parbold, a colt who had finished second to War Command in the Coventry Stakes. He was restrained by Hughes in the early stages before accelerating inside the final furlong to catch Outstrip in the final strides to win by a neck. On 15 September, Toormore was sent to Ireland to contest the Group One Vincent O'Brien National Stakes over seven furlongs at the Curragh Racecourse. He started favourite in a field of five runners, with his main opposition appearing to come from Sudirman, who had beaten War Command into third place in the Phoenix Stakes. Toormore led from the start and drew away in the final furlong to win by two and three quarter lengths from Sudirman with Giovanni Boldini in third. Despite reports that the colt would run in the Racing Post Trophy, Toormore did not run again in 2013. His form was boosted, however, by the performances of the horses he had beaten: War Command won the Dewhurst Stakes, whilst Outstrip and Giovanni Boldini finished first and second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

In the official ratings published in January 2014, Toormore was rated the best European two-year-old of 2013, two pounds ahead of the Cartier Award winner Kingston Hill.

2014: three-year-old season

On 17 April at Newmarket Toormore made his three-year-old debut when he started even money favourite for the Craven Stakes, a trial race for the 2000 Guineas. Ridden by Ryan Moore, he took the lead approaching the final furlong and won by two lengths from The Grey Gatsby. On 3 May, Toormore started the 15/2 third favourite, behind Kingman and Australia for the 2000 Guineas over the Rowley Mile course at Newmarket on 3 May. He was among the leaders from the start, but began to struggle a furlong from the finish and eventually finished sixth behind his stable companion Night of Thunder. Toormore started 7/1 third favourite behind Kingman and Night of Thunder for the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, but ran poorly, weakening in the closing stages to finish sixth of the seven runners. On 29 July, Toormore was dropped in class and started the 5/6 favourite for the Group Two Lennox Stakes over seven furlongs at Goodwood Racecourse. Ridden by Hughes, took the lead approaching the final furlong but was overtaken in the closing stages and beaten a neck by the five-year-old Es Que Love.

In September, Toormore was sent to Turkey for the International Topkapi Trophy over one mile at Veliefendi Racecourse. He started the 1/5 favourite but finished third behind the other British runners Glory Awaits and Our Channel. On 18 October, the colt started a 25/1 outsider for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot Racecourse. He fought the attempts of his jockey Kieren Fallon to restrain him and dropped back into last place with two furlongs to run before finishing strongly to take third place behind Charm Spirit and Night of Thunder.

2015: four-year-old season

Toormore made his first appearance of the year, in the Lockinge Stakes on the straight mile course at Newbury on 16 May. He tracked the leaders in the early stages before staying on strongly to finish second of the sixteen runners, a neck behind Night of Thunder. In the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot he led for most of the way before being overtaken in the final furlong and finishing fourth of the eight runners behind Solow. In July, Toormore was dropped in class and distance for a second attempt at the Lennox Stakes and started the 9/4 joint-favourite with the three-year-old Dutch Connection, the winner of the Jersey Stakes. Ridden by James Doyle, he led from the start and stayed on well when challenged in the last quarter mile to win by three quarters of a length from Dutch Connection and Safety Check. Toormore was then sent to France for the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville Racecourse where he started 5/1 second favourite and finished fifth behind the five-year-old mare Esoterique after leading until the last 400 metres.

In September, Toormore was again sent to Turkey for a second attempt at the International Topkapi Trophy. He started odds-on favourite and won by two and a half lengths from the locally trained Perfect Warrior. Toormore returned to Europe for the Prix de la Foret over 1400 metres at Longchamp Racecourse on 4 October. He took the lead in the straight but was overtaken 200 metres out and finished third of the thirteen runners behind Make Believe and Limato. On his final appearance of the season he was sent to Sha Tin Racecourse for the Hong Kong Mile on 13 December and finished unplaced behind Maurice.

2016: five-year-old season

On his first appearance as a five-year-old Toormore contested the Group Two Bet365 Mile at Sandown Park on 22 April when he was ridden for the first time by William Buick. He started as the 7/2 second favourite behind Belardo whilst the other runners included Dutch Connection (Jersey Stakes), Adaay (2015 Hungerford Stakes), Breton Rock (2014 Hungerford Stakes) and Gabrial (Lincoln Handicap). He raced in second place until the last quarter mile and then got the better of a sustained struggle with Dutch Connection to win by a neck. In his next two races he was moved back into the highest class and performed creditably in defeat as he finished fifth to Belardo in the Lockinge Stakes and fourth to the American mare Tepin in the Queen Anne Stakes.