Son of Tosti Girl Takes Flight in Perth

The influence of outstanding broodmare Tosti Girl continues to grow on both sides of the Tasman, with another of her sons making his presence felt in Western Australia. The latest to emerge is Fly To The Finish, who is building an impressive record in Perth and adding yet another chapter to one of New Zealand's most successful modern pacing families.

The bonny Christian Cullen mare Tosti Girl was one of the best of her sex and gait in the early 2000s.

Bred by Aucklanders Billy and Kerry Callaghan and trained by John Green and Bunty Hughes, she recorded seven wins in a relatively brief career, including the Great Northern Oaks and NSW Oaks, while banking $196,761 in stakes.

"She was always a bit unsound," Green recalled.

"When she was retired from racing Bunt and I decided to buy her and her dam Delightful Paula as the Callaghans were not interested in breeding.

"Nearly everything that her mum left has won. It was a great winning family."

Green and Hughes bred 11 foals from Tosti Girl, with five of them becoming winners.

Undoubtedly the best of her progeny is the Bettor's Delight gelding The Fixer, the millionaire winner of 12 races including the New Zealand Cup, Ballarat Pacing Cup and Maurice Holmes Vase.

Tosti Girl also left the NSW Ladyship Stakes winner The Honey Queen ($183,696), multiple Gloucester Park winner Sir Tosti Mach ($104,543) and Albion Park victor Precious M.

Her 11th foal, Fly To The Finish, a full brother to The Fixer, is now making waves in Perth after beginning his racing career with Bunty Hughes and his son Gareth.

Sold to Australian interests as an early three-year-old, Fly To The Finish won six races in the NSW Riverina before being purchased by the Elliott family in Western Australia in January last year.

The five-year-old has since added three Gloucester Park victories to his record, including two impressive front-running performances during the winter racing season, and is continuing to work his way through the grades. His stake earnings now stand at $115,075.

"Tosti Girl is now retired and we're breeding from a couple of her daughters," Green said.

"The Honey Queen has got a yearling colt by Always B Miki and a weanling filly by Lazarus.

"Bunt sold his share in Princess Of Savoy, another of Tosti Girl's daughters, to clients of Greg Bennett's stable in Queensland, but I've kept my half share. She's coming over to Brisbane this week."

Green also reflected on his long association with Bennett.

"Greg is one of my best mates. We owned and he drove Courage To Rule, who won the last Victoria Derby at Moonee Valley.

These days Green's broodmare band has become more selective.

"I've only got three mares now – The Honey Queen, Marcy Runkle, the dam of last year's WA Derby winner Runkle Crunch, and Whispering Artist, a winning granddaughter of dual NZ Aged Mare of the Year Alta Serena.

"We have three Lazarus foals at foot."

The influence of Tosti Girl is now extending well beyond her own progeny. She is the granddam of Breeders Crown and Vicbred Super Series champion Kiss, Great Northern Derby runner-up Midnight Miki, multiple Group placegetter Miki Montana, and Australian metropolitan winners Girls Are Best, Gooddealehemily and Gooddealehmaddie.

With Fly To The Finish continuing to rise through the grades in Western Australia and the next generation already emerging, the legacy of Tosti Girl shows no signs of slowing down.