Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Race-Day Recap
The Ciaron Maher-trained 3-year-old colt Southport Tycoon (Written Tycoon) emerged for a decisive victory in the G1 Australian Guineas, leading home fellow Victorian Veight (Grunt) by 1.3l to give Yulong Stud sires a quinella.
First-up against plenty of race-fit opposition, Tropical Squall (Prized Icon) produced a mighty effort to grind out her second Group 1 victory in Saturday’s Surround S., an often history-defining race for the 3-year-old fillies.
Kerry Parker's war horse Think It Over (So You Think) returned to his very best to win the first running of the G1 Verry Elleegant S. formerly known as the G1 Chipping Norton S.
Hell Hath No Fury provided her Yarraman Park-based sire Hellbent with his fifth stakes winner when she won the G2 Guy Walter S.
Orchestral was brilliant in winning the G1 New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie. Her sire, Savabeel, enjoyed a sensational Saturday with his daughters Atishu and Certainly winning stakes races.
Cambrige Stud’s Almanzor was another New Zealand-based sire to achieve notable results on Saturday. The son of Wootton Bassett sired his 13th stakes winner courtesy of the Andrew Forsman-trained Positivity, who saluted in the G3 Sunline Vase at Ellerslie.
Rich Hill Stud's Ace High sired his second stakes winner when his daughter Drakaina took out the Listed Otago Breeders’ S. at Wingatui on Saturday.
Quinella for Yulong as Southport Tycoon waltzes to Guineas success
The G1 Australian Guineas was kept in local hands by Southport Tycoon (Written Tycoon) on Saturday. It was the Ciaron Maher-trained 3-year-old colt who emerged for a decisive victory in the stallion-making race, leading home fellow Victorian Veight (Grunt {NZ}) by 1.3l. After a less-than-fortuitous run, the pre-race favourite from Chris Waller’s stable, Riff Rocket (American Pharoah {USA}) had to settle for third.
Runner-up by a small margin on each of his previous two starts, the G2 Autumn S. and G2 Australia S., Southport Tycoon was an outsider ahead of Flemington’s feature on Saturday, and provided his syndicate ownership, Bennett Racing, with a huge day out, and they might only just be getting started…
“The scary thing is he’s so raw still,” commented winning jockey Jamie Kah, who was following up on her 10th Group 1 notched only last weekend.
A $300,000 purchase for Bennett Racing at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the draft of Daandine Stud, Syndicate chief Nathan Bennett was left visibly moved in the wake of Southport Tycoon’s achievement.
Southport Tycoon | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“It’s just huge for Bennett Racing and what we’ve been trying to build for the last five/six years,” he said.
“We’ve been there abouts but we just kept getting nailed… but wow, he’s a pretty good colt too.”
Whilst plans are yet to be confirmed, the Australian Guineas winner earns a place in The All-Star Mile, a target his trainer didn’t rule out.
“... being a 3-year-old colt, maybe it’s worth considering a little bit more,” Maher said.
“... being (Southport Tycoon) a 3-year-old colt, maybe it’s worth considering a little bit more.” - Ciaron Maher
“Now he’s got that Group 1 on the board, it's a more realistic option, but I’m sure they’ll enjoy it tonight and we’ll have some good, healthy conversations about it tomorrow.”
Thirteen individual Group 1 winners now stand in the shadow of Yulong Stud’s Written Tycoon. Heading into the final 100 metres, the Victorian-based stud looked assured of a dream result, as Southport Tycoon drew alongside Veight, a son of their second-season sire Grunt (NZ).
Whether Southport Tycoon becomes the fourth son of Written Tycoon to stand at stud remains to be seen (Yulong has yet to stand one themselves), but his pedigree certainly positions him as a strong candidate. He is out of Ready To Rule (USA) (More Than Ready {USA}), a sister to US stakes winner and Group 1 runner-up Grace And Power (USA), who is also the grandam of one Artorius.
Tropical shows tenacity
First-up against plenty of race-fit opposition, Tropical Squall (Prized Icon) produced a mighty effort to grind out her second Group 1 victory in Saturday’s Surround S., an often history-defining race for the 3-year-old fillies.
Pressed all the way to the line by Stefi Magnetica (All Too Hard), who was last seen running fourth in the G2 Light Fingers S., Tropical Squall held on to a 0.2l advantage at the line, with G1 Flight S. placegetter Tutta La Vita (The Autumn Sun) 1.6l away in third. Coolmore’s Learning To Fly (Justify {USA}), second in the Light Fingers, was edged out into fourth place.
Tropical Squall has been the headline horse for Kooringal Stud’s second-season sire Prized Icon. After marking his first winner (in style) at Canterbury last June, she became his first Group 1 winner in the Flight S. this spring. Not bad for a filly that cost just $16,000 at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale, sold from the draft of Bhima Thoroughbreds to Gooree Park Stud. That she’s a homebred for Kooringal will make her success all the sweeter, and there may be more to come.
Although it wasn’t upgraded to a Group 1 event until 2018, Gai Waterhouse’s previous Surround S. victory in 2010 was a notable one. A champion the following season, it was More Joyous (NZ) (More Than Ready {USA}) who kicked off her Group 1 tally in the Flight S. before following up in the Surround, just like Tropical Squall, whose up-and-coming sire is a son of the same breed-shaping More Than Ready (USA).
Tropical Squall | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The now established partnership of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have been enjoying their best season since they joined forces in 2016. Striking at 21.5 per cent winners to runners, this latest elite success puts them on five Group 1 winners for the season, matching 2021/22, whilst their prizemoney haul has tipped over $20 million for the first time.
It’s also been a defining season so far for winning jockey Adam Hyeronimus, who was winning his third Group 1 for the term.
“After winning the Flight Stakes we tried to go to the Oaks and that can be very difficult for 3-year-old fillies,” he said.
“... she came back and she really took some time to find her feet this preparation but her improvement… was very good.
“... she (Tropical Squall) came back and she really took some time to find her feet this preparation but her improvement… was very good..” - Adam Hyeronimus
“I wasn't happy with the conditions today (Saturday) but it just shows how good she is and what she had to overcome.”
War horse salutes in Verry Elleegant
Formerly run as the Chipping Norton S., there was no fairytale result for Chris Waller in the race’s first renewal as the G1 Verry Elleegant S., only a few weeks after the passing of the Champion Mare.
Instead, it was a relatively processionary affair for Kerry Parker’s Think It Over (So You Think {NZ}), who seems to flourish at this time of year, as the 8-year-old gelding added a third Group 1 trophy to his cabinet.
Two fully white bridles synonymous with Verry Elleegant’s (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) former trainer chased with typical tenacity, and it was a mighty effort for the favoured Fangirl (Sebring) to finish 0.9l away in second after making up so much ground from the rear of the field. Waller’s other runner, last year’s G1 Rosehill Guineas winner Lindermann (Lonhro), had to settle for third a further 1.6l away, but was far from disgraced in a classy field.
After handing Nash Rawiller his 69th Group 1 success, the winning jockey paid tribute to the trainer.
Think It Over | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“If he was with Gai (Waterhouse) or Chris (Waller) he’d probably be rated the second-best horse in the country,” he said.
“He’s a horse that just flies under the radar a bit for being trained at Kembla, but they go the extra yard to have him turn up at the races in good order.”
“He’s (Think It Over) a horse that just flies under the radar a bit for being trained at Kembla, but they go the extra yard to have him turn up at the races in good order.” - Nash Rawiller
A delighted Kerry Parker confirmed post-race that a return to Randwick for the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. on April 13 remains the target, adding that Think It Over will likely step up to 2000 metres for the G1 Ranvet S. in between.
Hell Hath No Fury gets the nod
There seemed no way Brae Sokolski could lose as his Yes Bloodstock colour-bearers Hell Hath No Fury (Hellbent) and Hinged (Worthy Cause) went head-to-head to the line in a thrilling G2 Guy Walter S. at Randwick.
The Annabel Neasham-trained Hell Hath No Fury, ridden by Jason Collett, won the bob from Chris Waller’s Group 1-winning daughter of Worthy Cause.
Hell Hath No Fury has made a rapid rise through the grades, having placed in a BM78 at Randwick last start, and winning a BM72 at Warwick Farm earlier in the preparation.
She is the 10th foal from the Octagonal (NZ) mare Diamond Cove, who won seven races, including the Listed Bow Mistress Trophy. Hell Hath No Fury is the second winner produced by Diamond Cove, who is also the dam of the Group 3 winner Montauk (More Than Ready {USA}).
Diamond Cove’s latest produce, a filly by Graff, was sold for $10,000 at the 2023 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale by G Williamson.
Hell Hath No Fury is the fifth stakes winner for Yarraman Park's Hellbent. She was a $160,000 purchase by Brae Sokolski from the draft of Yarraman Park at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Super Savabeel orchestrates historic success with Group 1 winner #33
On a sensational Saturday in New Zealand, Waikato Stud's eight-time Champion Sire Savabeel enjoyed remarkable success as he grabbed his 33rd individual Group 1 winner.
Savabeel sired his first G1 New Zealand Derby winner as his exceptional daughter Orchestral (NZ), trained by Roger James and Robert Wellwood, dominated the field at Ellerslie to claim her maiden Group 1 victory. She became the first filly to win a New Zealand Derby since Silent Achiever (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), who was also trained by Roger James, and triumphed in 2012.
Orchestral, a recent winner of the G2 Avondale Guineas by a considerable margin, had previously claimed the R. Listed Karaka Millions 3YO Classic.
She is the second foal from the O’Reilly (NZ) mare Symphonic (NZ), who placed in the G2 Cuddle S. Symphonic's Savabeel colt fetched NZ$310,000 at the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale at Karaka, purchased by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
Orchestral herself was a NZ$625,000 acquisition by her trainers from the draft of Haunui Farm at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.
Orchestral (NZ) | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Earlier in the Ellerslie program, Savabeel celebrated his 141st stakes winner as the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained Certainly (NZ) claimed victory in the G3 Mufhasa S., donning the Waikato Stud colours.
Meanwhile, in Australia at Flemington, Savabeel’s gun daughter Atishu (NZ), added the G2 Blamey S. to her resume. Trained by Chris Waller, the stable indicated the G1 Australian Cup as a possible option for the dual Group 1 winner.
Positive results for Almanzor
Cambrige Stud’s Almanzor (Fr) was another New Zealand-based sire to achieve notable results on Saturday. The son of Wootton Bassett (GB) sired his 13th stakes winner courtesy of the Andrew Forsman-trained Positivity (NZ), who saluted in the G3 Sunline Vase at Ellerslie.
Positivity, ridden by Masahiro Hashizume, defeated Qali Al Farrasha (NZ), a fellow daughter of Almanzor and Still Bangon (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}).
Positivity was bred by Sir Patrick and Lady Hogan and P J Walker. She is the fourth foal from the brilliant Pussy O’Reilly (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), a victress of the Listed Flying H. and placegetter in the G1 Makfi Challenge.
The filly was sold by Woburn Farm to B Kwok for NZ$160,000 at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale at Karaka.
Positivity (NZ) | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Positivity was one of three winners for Almanzor on Saturday, with his 2-year-old son Nucleozor (NZ) and 4-year-old daughter Patraine (NZ) winning at Wingatui.
Second stakes winner for Ace High
Drakaina (NZ) provided her second-season sire Ace High, who stands at Rich Hill Stud, with his second stakes success when she saluted in the Listed Otago Breeders’ S. at Wingatui on Saturday.
The Ebony Turner-trained 3-year-old filly, ridden Jasmine Fawcett, defeated Sense Of Timing (NZ) (Time Test {GB}) and Epee Beel (Epaulette).
Drakaina is from the Sakhee’s Secret (GB) mare Justa Secret (NZ), who won as a 2-year-old. Notably, Drakaina is from the family of the New Zealand Horse of the Year Seachange (NZ) (Cape Cross {Ire}), the dam of Saturday’s G2 Skyline S. victor Storm Boy (Justify {USA}).
The filly was winning the second time, having previously been placed in the Listed Dunedin Guineas and fourth in the Listed Gore Guineas.
