Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions
Written by Bren O'Brien
Locally bred and Victorian-trained stayer Double You Tee (Written Tycoon) claimed the G3 Hobart Cup on a day where local hero Mystic Journey (Needs Further) had her colours lowered again.
The Patrick Payne-trained Double You Tee, who was bred by Armidale Stud, proved the superior stayer over the 2400 metres, coming from the back of the field in a well-timed ride from G1 Melbourne Cup-winning hoop Jye McNeil.
While the tempo at the front of affairs wasn't quite as strong as expected, McNeil put his faith in the stamina of the 6-year-old, taking off around 800 metres out and taking the lead soon after the field straightened for home.
The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained Classic Weiwei (Shamus Award) peeled off his back soon after, but never looked a serious threat of reeling in Double You Tee, who had been well backed from $5 into $2.7 favourite throughout the day, and won by 1.25l.
The Archie Alexander-trained Barade (Fr) (Havana Gold {Ire}), worked from the tail of the field into third.
It is the first stakes success for Double You Tee, who was twice stakes-placed as a 3-year-old when trained in Tasmania by John Blacker and was then placed in the Listed Ballarat Cup for Payne in 2019.
He was purchased for $115,000 by Blacker at the 2016 Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale from his breeders at Armidale Stud.
His dam, Kandy Korn (Flying Spur) was purchased for $20,000 by Armidale Stud at the 2011 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale and has now produced three winners. Her yearling filly by Impending is catalogued as Lot 224 at the 2021 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale.
Double You Tee as a yearling
The 2019 G3 Hobart Cup winner Eastender (Tickets) bled during the race and has been retired.
Earlier, Group 1 winner Mystic Journey had her colours lowered by recent Devonport Cup winner Newhart (Fighting Sun) in the Listed Thomas Lyons S.
Coming off a shock first-up defeat at Launceston last time out, the Adam-Trinder trained Mystic Journey was sent out $1.20 favourite, but never really travelled like a winner.
Jockey Luke Currie asked her to track Newhart into the race down the side, but she lacked the turn of foot to go with him, and the Leanne Gaffney-trained 5-year-old established a margin which Mystic Journey never looked like reeling in.
He had 3.75l to spare on her when they hit the line, taking his record to seven wins from 14 starts, while the early leader Blaze Forth (Court Command) finished third.
Bred by Fairways Bloodstock, Newhart was purchased by Star Thoroughbreds and Paul Willetts for $60,000 at the 2017 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale. He becomes the second stakes winner for the late Sun Stud stallion Fighting Sun.
The Lloyd Kennewell-trained mare Ethical Solution (Shamus Award) added some valuable black type to her resume with an impressive success in the G3 Bow Mistress S.
In what was another upset result, Ethical Solution closed off stylishly over the top of her rivals, defeating fellow Victorian Street Icon (Street Boss {USA}) by 2l, with the best of the locals being Runaway Girl (Sebring), who was another 4.5l back in third.
The long odds-on favourite Deroche (Needs Further) loomed as a chance at the top of the straight, but faded to finish fifth.
The Listed Strutt S. for the 3-year-old fillies was taken out by the unbeaten, Scott Brunton-trained Hela (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), who collected her fifth win, defeating Chequerboard (Fastnet Rock) by 3.75l, with Mystique Falcon (NZ) (Pride Of Dubai), another 4l back in third.
