Cover image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock

Tokyo Tycoon storms home to take Karaka Million

Te Akau’s ironclad grip on the R. Listed Karaka Million 2YO showed no sign of loosening as David Ellis’ powerhouse operation were delivered a seventh-straight victory in the contest on Saturday when Tokyo Tycoon (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}) stormed home to grab victory in the NZ$1 million contest.

In winning the race, Tokyo Tycoon handed his Vadamos (Fr) half-sista timely update before she is offered as part of the Rich Hill Stud draft as Lot 24 at Book 1 of the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale.

A winner of two of his previous starts, the Mark Walker-trained 2-year-old tackled the 1200-metre race alongside six of his stablemates.

After missing the kick, Craig Zackey made the call to take his mount back to last on the rails and ride patiently. The jockey peeled the gelding off the fence and he let down impressively to storm down the centre of the track to beat Ethereal Star (Snitzel) by 0.8l. The winner’s stablemate Trobriand (Kermadec {NZ}) just ran out of gas in the final 100 metres, but ran well to finish another 1l away in third.

“It’s more relief than anything,” said Walker. “I didn’t want to be the one that jinxed it after Steve Autridge and Jamie Richards did such a great job, and then after that Jamie on his own. It is very satisfying.

“You go anywhere in the world and try and find someone like David Ellis that has bought seven consecutive winners of any big race in the world. You have got to take your hat off to him. Our job is pretty easy with the yearlings we get given to train but we have got a great crew of staff and they’re very passionate.

“I think the best horse on the day won the race and it just goes to show that anyone can own a racehorse. He wasn’t an overly expensive yearling and he has a great syndicate. He was actually the last yearling that we could sell.”

Te Akau’s dominance in the 1200-metre race was kicked off by Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands) who handed them their first win in the race in 2017, before Avantage (Fastnet Rock) followed up that victory 12 months later.

In 2019, Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) extended the streak, while Cool Aza Beel (NZ) was too good for his rivals in 2020. On The Bubbles (Brazen Beau) added Te Akau’s record in 2021 then last year, Dynastic (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) moved the score to six.

Tokyo Tycoon is out of All About The Coin (Starcraft {NZ}), a three-time winner and half-sister to both Group 2 winner Messene (Lonhro) and Listed winner Cordero (Gio Ponti {USA}), from the extended family of Hallowed Crown.

He was bought at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, knocked down for NZ$125,000 to David Ellis.

Standing at Rich Hill Stud, who also bred Tokyo Tycoon, Satono Aladdin (Jpn) was chalking up his third stakes winner with Tokyo Tycoon joining Group 3-winning pair Sacred Satono (NZ) and Grand Impact (NZ).

Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, Satono Aladdin was forced to sit out the 2020 covering season and as a result the stallion has no yearlings catalogued for the upcoming New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale series.

Prowess shines in Karaka Million 3YO Classic

Prowess (NZ) (Proisir) may not have been the talking horse going into the R. Listed Karaka Million 3YO Classic, but she showed she deserved to be rated amongst some of the best 3-year-olds in New Zealand as she stayed on bravely to triumph in the NZ$1 million race at Pukekohe on Saturday.

The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained filly was last seen winning the G2 Auckland Guineas and while it was an impressive performance, the field was missing some of the highly touted 3-year-olds, including unbeaten G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas winner Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) and Wild Night (NZ) (Vanbrugh), winner of the G2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial S.

But with all the key players assembled for Saturday’s R. Listed Karaka Million 3YO Classic, Prowess had nowhere to hide and she proved to be able to mix it with the best when finishing with a flourish to defeat Wild Night by 0.8l, while Desert Lightning (NZ) (Pride Of Dubai) was another 0.6l away in third.

Meanwhile, Legarto came into the race with an unbeaten record to keep intact, but she never looked to be racing with her usual gusto and did well to produce her best work late and finish fourth.

“It is pretty special. I think this is as good a crop of 3-year-olds we have seen assembled in this race and I think there is any number of them that will hold their hand up in Australia,” James said.

“I was quietly confident. We got the draw (barrier five) where we weren’t going to be locked away and that was going to be a big advantage and so it proved.”

James and Wellwood paid NZ$230,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale in 2021 for Prowess, who they bought for a long-time stable client, Dean Skipper.

The filly is out of the placed Don Eduardo (NZ) mare Donna Marie (NZ), making her a half-sister to Listed-placed mare Ajay Tee (NZ) (Foxwedge), while further back this is the same family as Group 2 winner Scarlet Runner (NZ) (Kingdom Bay {NZ}).

The win continues an extraordinary past few months for the Rich Hill Stud sire Proisir who, since August 1, has been represented by seven individual stakes winners headed by New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner Pier (NZ) and G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas scorer Legarto and he is currently sitting atop the New Zealand Leading Sires' table.

The stallion will have 19 yearlings set to go under the hammer at Book 1 of the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale, which gets underway on January 29.

Imperatriz toughs it out in Westbury Classic

Fresh from her victory in the G1 Railway S. on New Year’s Day, talented Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) added an eighth stakes victory to her burgeoning CV when she showed her usual enthusiasm to land the G2 Westbury Classic at Pukekohe on Saturday.

The Mark Walker-trained and Te Akau-raced daughter of I Am Invincible has proved time and time again one of the best mares in New Zealand and she cemented that claim once again when storming home to defeat Our Alley Cat (Atlante) by 0.1l. Dragon Queen (Sweynesse) was a further 1.8l adrift in third.

After a few blips this season, including when having her colours lowered in both the G1 Tarzino Trophy and the G1 Arrowfield Stud Plate, Imperatriz’s career is well and truly back on track and Walker said the mare will now head towards the G1 BCD Group Sprint at Te Rapa where another clash with multiple Group 1-winning mare Levante (Proisir) awaits.

“It was a workmanlike win with 59kg and Opie (Bosson) didn’t knock her around. He took bad luck out of the equation when he popped off the fence at the 1000 metres and I was pretty confident from then on,” Walker said.

“I still think there is a bit of improvement to come looking ahead to the BCD Group Sprint.”

Walker opted to run the last-start winner of the G1 Railway at Pukekohe in preference to venturing to Trentham last week for the G1 Telegraph, a plan that ultimately proved inspired.

“I just thought a big trip down there (to Wellington) after two weeks was a bit to ask. Full credit to Babylon Berlin she really made her try hard that day in the Railway and I just felt the extra week would suit.

“Resisting the temptation is hard to do — a Group 1 compared to a Group 2 — but the owners were supportive, and it worked out well.”

Bred by Raffles Dancers NZ Ltd, Imperatriz was bought by David Ellis for $360,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2020 and she is out of winning Shamardal (USA) mare Berimbau, who is herself a half-sister to Listed winner Vinco (I Am Invincible).

Imperatriz is one of 14 Group 1 winners for the Yarraman Park-based sire I Am Invincible and with three top-flight wins to her name, the mare the most elite-level-winning progeny of the stallion.

Maven Belle toughs it out

Group 1-winning juvenile Maven Belle (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}) added a first stakes race to her CV as a 3-year-old when she came out on top of a blanket finish to win a thrilling edition of the G3 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy at Pukekohe on Saturday.

Beaten only once in five starts last season, which culminated in a victory in the G1 Sires' Produce S. and she showed he had lost none of talent when she won first-up at Pukekohe.

Returning to the same track on Saturday, the daughter of Burgundy (NZ) was locked in a battle all the way up the straight with Master Brutus (NZ) (Swiss Ace) eventually getting the best of that rival, beating him by 0.1l. Last start G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner Pier (NZ) (Proisir) ran a brave race to finish another 0.3l away in third.

It was the fourth time in the last six years that Te Akau has won the feature 3-year-old sprint on Karaka Million night. Te Akau and their champion trainer Jamie Richards won the Group 3 with former Group 1-winning 2-year-olds Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands) in 2018 and Sword Of State (NZ) in 2022, while they took the 2021 edition with Need I Say More (No Nay Never {USA}).

“It was a tight finish and I wasn’t sure if she’d won, but it was a great effort second-up,” said Walker. “She’s classy, and she just has the will to win. Credit to Opie (Bosson), who really knows where the post is.

“The quick tunaround from her first-up run wasn’t ideal, but I thought when I saw her in the parade ring today that she looked far better in the coat.

“We’ll get her home and see how she comes through this, but a race like the Levin Classic in March could be a possibility.”

Co-bred by David Ellis and his wife Karyn Fenton-Ellis, Maven Belle is from stakes-placed mare Doyenne (NZ) (Kilimanjaro {GB}) and she is a half-sister to multiple Group 1-winning mare Levante (NZ) (Proisir) and the dam of Listed winner Sophmaze (NZ) (Derryn).

Snitzel’s Green Aeon scores

Former Hong Kong-based gelding Green Aeon (Snitzel) added a first stakes win to his record when he landed the G3 ​​Concorde H. at Pukekohe on Saturday.

The son of Snitzel won on his New Zealand debut at Te Rapa on December 10 before running second behind Synchronize (NZ) (Savabeel) in the Listed Hallmark Stud H. at Pukekohe on Boxing Day.

On Saturday, the 7-year-old kicked clear to beat El Vencedor (NZ) (Shocking) by 1.8l, while Fashion Shoot (NZ) (Savabeel) was another 0.2l away in third.

Trainer Tood Mitchell is now keen to raise the bar even higher with a shot at the G1 BCD Group Sprint at Te Rapa on February 11.

“There’s that 1400-metre weight-for-age race coming up at Te Rapa, which I think we could have a good look at,” he said. “I wouldn’t mind getting him up to a mile later on.”

Another star for Newgate Farm and partners?

The familiar red and yellow silks of Newgate Farm, SF Bloodstock and their partners were carried to victory in yet another juvenile race in Australia as the highly touted Don Corleone (Extreme Choice) made a winning debut at Randwick on Saturday.

Trained by Peter And Paul Snowden and ridden by James McDonald, the talented colt showed good fighting spirit to repel the advances of the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Kundalini (I Am Invincible), who ran a huge race to finish a gallant second.

Co-trainer Peter Snowden said he was yet to finalise autumn plans for Don Corleone as while the horse had been showing above-average ability at home, he had disappointed in his trials and he wanted to see the juvenile perform on race day.

“His trials I thought had been okay, but that was why I put the blinkers on today because I wanted to make a statement with the colt,” Peter Snowden said.

“I wanted to make sure he is the horse I think he is going to be. So, I thought no loafing today, put him in the race, he needed to show us he had the ability to go all the way, or whether he was just a pretender. It was good to see him do that today (Saturday).”

The race has proved a good source of high-class juveniles with Estijaab (Snitzel) and Stay Inside (Extreme Choice), both triumphing in the contest en route to G1 Golden Slipper S. glory.

Don Corleone was purchased by co-owners Newgate Farm and China Horse Club for $650,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Weanling Sale from the draft of his breeders Gilgai Farm in 2021 and he is out of Listed Gimcrack S. runner-up Snipzu, making him a half-brother to The Drinks Cart (Unencumbered), who won four races and also finished third in the G1 JJ Atkins.

Snipzu herself is out of dual winner Pilgrim (Danehill {USA}) making her a half-sister to dual winner Paredo (Better Than Ready), who was also placed at Listed level. In 2022, Snipzu produced a filly by Written Tycoon.

The colt provided Extreme Choice with his first juvenile winner of the season and his total tally of winners for the 2022/23 season now stands at 18, headed by G1 VRC Oaks winner She’s Extreme.

Amur goes back-to-back at The Valley

Amur (Snitzel) could be set for bigger and better things as he kept his unbeaten record intact with a second career in at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

Trained by James Cummings, the son of Snitzel stayed on stoutly all the way to the line to defeat Somepeople Call Me (Maurice {Jpn}) by 0.1l.

Godolphin representative Sean Keogh said Amur had made natural progression from his debut win but felt the colt was holding something back.

“He was a bit above himself on debut, so he's benefitted from the run, but it feels he's not giving us everything just yet," Keogh said. “There is a feeling that there is still a lot left in the tank, physically also. He's not quite there yet.

“He's a pretty big horse. He weighs around 530kg and has a big action on him," Keogh said. “He's from the family of Alizee and Astern, so you would imagine he would get over a bit of ground and you would think a bigger track will suit him, but there is not a lot beyond six furlongs at the moment."

Bred and raced by Godolphin, the son of Snitzel is out of the once raced Animal Kingdom (USA) mare Leopard, who hails from one of the most sought after and active families in the global Stud Book.

The daughter of Animal Kingdom is herself out of top-class broodmare Essaouira (Exceed And Excel) and her seven winners are headed by multiple Group 1-winning Champion Alizee (Sepoy), G1 Golden Rose S. winner turned Darley sire Astern and Listed-placed Tassort, who is standing at Newgate Farm.

Amur is one of four juvenile winners for Snitzel in Australia this season and the quartet is headed by Group 3 winner Empire Of Japan. Meanwhile, across the Tasman in New Zealand, Snitzel has been represented by two winners, headed Listed scorer Ethereal Star.

The good day of Rich Hill began when Tokyo Tycoon (NZ), a gelding bred by the Thompson, overcame a tardy start to gallop to victory in the R. Listed Karaka Million 2YO and kept his unbeaten record intact in the process.

Satono Aladdin’s barnmate, Proisir, has had an almost flawless season so far, siring the winners of both the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas and G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas in Pier (NZ) and Legarto (NZ) respectively, while his talents as a stallion have once again been advertised by his ultra-talented daughter Levante (NZ) and Dark Destroyer (NZ) put his name in lights with a win in the G1 Tarzino Trophy.

On Saturday, the stallion’s daughter Prowess (NZ) added some extra punch to the stallion’s record when she got the better of a very talented field to triumph in the R. Listed Karaka Million 3YO Classic.

Tokyo Tycoon is from the second crop of Satono Aladdin and he is out of All About The Coin (Starcraft {NZ}), a three-time winner and half-sister to both Group 2 winner Messene (Lonhro) and Listed winner Cordero (Gio Ponti {USA}), who Rich Hill purchased for $55,000 at the Inglis Sydney Weanling and Broodmare Sale in 2016.

Rich Hill offered Tokyo Tycoon at the 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling Sale and he was purchased by Billy Xantos for NZ$50,000, while Rich Hill offered him for a second time at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale and he was knocked down to David Ellis for NZ$125,000.

Laidback customer

Thompson told TDN AusNZ on Saturday the gelding had always been a good-looking horse, who was popular at the yearling sale.

“He was the most laidback customer right from the start,” explained Thompson. “At the Karaka sales complex you have the tarmac where you walk them up and down, but then somebody wanted to see him walk on the grass.

“So we moved him to the grass and we were standing there looking at him and then all of a sudden he just sat down and started nibbling on the grass. It was almost like he had enough of the whole process. Everyone was looking at him and all the staff were in hysterics. Some people in the sales complex must have thought there was something wrong with him, but it was just how he was - he was so laidback.”

After winning his first two starts impressively, Thompson admitted, though, that record was likely to be blemished on Saturday after the gelding emerged slowly from the barriers.

“He hasn’t got a 2-year-old pedigree, so after today (Saturday) you’ve got to be thinking that the sky's the limit for him,” he said.

“The draw obviously wasn’t ideal, but I thought that if the field spreads out he would have a chance. But when he missed the kick I let off an expletive at the top of my voice and my wife said, ‘John, mind your language.’ When he missed the kick I honestly thought his chances were in the can, but he got a lovely run up the inside and then came off the rail at the right time and won quite comfortably in the end.”

Big talent

With two Southern Hemisphere crops of racing age, the son of Deep Impact (Jpn) has sired 11 winners from just 25 starters and Tokyo Tycoon becomes his third stakes winner, joining Group 3-winning duo Grand Impact (NZ) and Sacred Satono (NZ). In his native Japan he has sired 46 winners.

Satono Aladdin came to New Zealand with a lofty reputation in 2018. A winner of the 2017 G1 Yasuda Kinen and being by the great breed-shaping sire Deep Impact (Jpn), the stallion also boasts an enviable pedigree on his damside.

He is out of G2 Monmouth Oaks winner Magic Storm (USA) (Storm Cat {USA}), making him a brother to fellow elite-level winner Lachesis (Jpn) and the stallions race record, coupled with his pedigree, Thompson believes adds to his allure as a stallion.

“You only have to analyse the stallion’s pedigree to work out why he is working. He is by Deep Impact, one of the best stallion’s the world has ever seen, and he is out of a mare by Storm Cat, who is out of mare by Fappiano - the broodmare sire of Northern Meteor,” Thompson explained.

“It is an absolutely awesome pedigree and when put to me, I thought it was one of the best stallion pedigrees I had ever seen. He’s a pretty special horse.”

Having shuttled to New Zealand for the first time in 2018, Satono Aladdin was forced to miss out on his third foray to the Southern Hemisphere in 2020 due to the global pandemic and will therefore have no yearlings on offer at Karaka next week.

However, Thompson will offer Tokyo Tycoon's Vadamos (Fr) half-sister as Lot 24 at Book 1 of the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale, which gets underway next Sunday.

As for Thompson, he is enjoying the ride with the stallions he has at Rich Hill and is hoping the rich success of the last few months can continue far into the future.

“It’s been an incredible ride with the stallions. They were both well-credentialled racehorses with good, sound and tough pedigrees, but that obviously doesn’t guarantee success, so it is all great that it has come together so well.”