Torture bears watching in Karaka Millions
Australia’s 2YO 2nd favourite in juvenile feature, surprise can also hail from Out Of The Blue
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Torture (Ethan Brown) defeating stablemate Free Flying (Michael Dee) to win the Listed Magic Millions Debutant Stakes (1,000m) at her first start at Caulfield on Oct 15, 2025.
PHOTO: Racing Photos
Michael Lee
The Listed Karaka Millions 2YO (1,200m) at Ellerslie has attracted some serious talents, both from New Zealand and Australia.
The standout among the Australians may well be Torture.
A debut winner in the Listed Debutant Stakes (1,000m) at Caulfield in October, the Ben, Will & JD-trained filly actually served notice of her potential even more in defeat at her next start.
From last, the Sword Of State filly had to overcome a stack of ground in the Geelong Diamond (1,100m) on Jan 3, inclined to duck back inwards when apprentice Jackson Radley plotted an outside path.
While the winner Moana Spirit was off and gone, Torture in her bumblebee colours caught the eye with a fast-finishing fourth.
Green as grass that day, she would have come on from that second run. With the Hayes polish applied in the last two weeks, she will present better for the NZ$1 million (S$754,000) juvenile event.
She drops four kilos (59kg to 55kg) and will be partnered by a more senior jockey in international rider Damian Lane on Jan 24.
If she stays straight in the last 300m at Ellerslie, she could land a blow with an extra 100m to cover.
Home advantage holds even truer for barely exposed two-year-olds. Out Of The Blue for the Te Akau powerhouse – bidding for yet another Karaka Millions 2YO win – could be one of the main dangers.
After two wins in 2YO company, Out Of The Blue tasted her first defeat in the Listed Wellesley Stakes (1,100m) at Trentham on Jan 3.
A little boxed in on the rails under Kiwi champion jockey Craig Grylls, he still ground his way to a creditable third to Lassified.
Another champion Craig takes over on Jan 24 in Craig Williams, a pointer that four-time Singapore champion trainer Mark Walker and partner Sam Bergerson mean business with the Tivaci gelding.
The jockey-trainer-owner combo will also bank on a repeat of their 2025 heroics with La Dorada.
But pundits are keener on the other Te Akau, Kinnaird, unbeaten in two runs, including the Group 2 Eclipse Stakes (1,200m) on Jan 1.
The Home Affairs colt, who will be ridden by Opie Bosson, holds sway at 3-1 while Out Of The Blue is unwanted at 17-1. Walker also saddles 45-1 long shot Zaharias.
Torture is in the second line of betting at 18-5 and brings great Australian form to his neighbours, while Out Of The Blue, despite drawing 16-from-16, is proven on soft track and could be a knockout chance in Williams’ able hands.
The top Melbourne hoop can also count on La Dorada in the NZ$1.5 million Listed Karaka Millions 3YO (1,600m) in the next race. The Super Seth filly atoned for a plain Melbourne raid with a win in the Group 2 Levin Classic (1,400m) at Trentham on Jan 3.
She will, however, have her job cut out against the 1-2 favourite Well Written, the unbeaten filly prepared by Stephen Marsh, son of ex-Kranji trainer Bruce Marsh.
