SALLY Torrens’ recent run of minor placings went one better on Saturday – twice – when the popular trainer led back a winning double at the Moree Ag Supplies Christmas twilight race meeting.

Torrens trains a big team at Gunnedah and two weeks ago led back three minor place-getters at her hometown Christmas meeting.

Previously, speedy gelding Casdaemon finished third at Wellington and Quirindi, and rewarded Torrens’ patience with a hard-fought, all-the-way in the 1300m Agri-Storage and Logistics Maiden Plate at Moree.

Nearly 40 minutes later, consistent mare Via Rose handed Torrens the 1400m Brett Brazel Painting BM-50 Handicap.

Torrens went within a head of collecting a winning treble when Gold Smiles narrowly missed in the 1200m McGregor Gourlay BM-50 Handicap.

Casdaemon ($4.40), ridden by Brisbane hoop Chris Taylor, defied all challengers to cling to a nose win from Gavin Groth’s Kasumi ($19), with Bravalatante ($8.50), a stablemate to the winner, half-a-length away third.

Chris Taylor guides Casdaemon (on the fence) to an all-the-way win at Moree on Saturday for Gunnedah trainer Sally Torrens.

“He was attacked throughout, with one horse eyeballing him all the way, so there’s a lot of merit to his win,” Torrens said.

“Casdaemon is honest, a bit like Via Rose. They’re not superstars, but they’re honest.”

Jockey Chris Taylor said Casdaemon won well after being taken on for the lead for most of the race.

“Eventually, I got him to drop his head and relax,” Taylor said.

“Once we got in the straight, he gave me a good kick and fought hard all the way to the line.

“He was so game – it was very gutsy win and I can’t take much credit for the last 100m. He just kept finding all the way to the line.

“The horse should’ve been beaten, but his tenacity got him home,” he said.

Stablemate Via Rose ($3fav) parked off the speed in the 1400m BM-50 under jockey Tilly McCarroll before charging clear to score by more than one-and-a-half lengths from Nikki Pollock’s Criminal Art ($7) and Jake Capewell’s Maeve ($6).

“That was a dominant win,” Torrens said.

Apprentice Tilly McCarroll is all smiles as she returns to scale on Via Rose at Moree on Saturday.

“It was only her third win, but she’s always been so honest and consistent, and really deserved to win another one.

“Gavin Groth’s horse (Accrue) might have set it up for her, because he gets out and goes pretty hard. That made it for her a bit, I think,” she said.

“When Accrue put a bit of a gap in them, I wasn’t sure we were going to peg him back. But she worked home really strongly and won well.”

Tilly McCarroll said race leader Accrue got a long way in front, which helped Via Rose under 54.5kg – 10kg less than Accrue.

“We were lucky with our light weight, which definitely helped,” McCarroll said.

“We were probably about three or four lengths off the leader, and sat in a really nice position.

“I let her go through her gears and she knuckled down and found the line really well.

“She ran a really good race,” McCarroll said.

Words and Images: Bill Poulos