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.
Proisir | Standing at Rich Hill Stud
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.
Tokyo Tycoon (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
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.”
“He (Tokyo Tycoon) was the most laidback customer right from the start... we were standing there looking at him (at the Karaka yearling sale) and then all of a sudden he just sat down and started nibbling on the grass.” - John Thompson
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.”
John Thompson | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
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.
Satono Aladdin (Jpn) | Standing at Rich Hill Stud
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.”
“It (Satono Aladdin) 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.” - John Thompson
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.”
