5 Win Trans-Tasman Saturday - 4 Stakes' Wins - Tokyo Tycoon Tops

Pure class, Tokyo Tycoon (3 g Satono Aladdin – All About The Coin, by Starcraft) resumed with an impressive victory in the $90,000 El Roca – Sir Colin Meads Trophy (Listed, 1200m) on Saturday at Hastings.

A nominee for Champion Two-Year-Old and Horse of the Year, and one of the best performed juveniles in recent times, Tokyo Tycoon became the seventh consecutive $1m Karaka Million 2YO (Restricted Listed, 1200m) winner for Te Akau, with a stunning performance, and included the Matamata Slipper (Gr. 3, 1200m) during four wins for the season.

With stable rider Opie Bosson aboard, Tokyo Tycoon drew the outside gate (10), received nice cart along in eighth, was clear rounding the home turn and after pouncing at the 200m he waltzed clear by two and a quarter lengths.

“There was quite a bit of speed, so I opted to let him come up underneath me, slot in, and after I gave him a couple of shots he was away,” Bosson said. 

On lovely Soft5 footing, Tokyo Tycoon ran 1200 metres in 1:11.0 and punters kept coming for him to pay $1.90 (win) on the NZ TAB tote, in a race won last year by stable-mate Dynastic (Almanzor). 

Adding to a flying start (23 wins) for the stable this season, Tokyo Tycoon became the first stakes winner for Sam Bergerson who joined 10-time Champion Trainer Mark Walker in partnership on 1 August.

“Opie summed it pretty quickly, we’d discussed that there was a lot of speed and he let them go and got a nice drag into it,” Walker said.

“He’s a workmanlike type of horse and you’d love another 20 or 30 kilos on him, but he’s a little champ.

“He’s still got some coat to come out, with more sun on his back, and I think there’s good improvement ahead of the Hawkes Bay Guineas in three weeks.

“We’ll go one race at a time, but I don’t expect him to have any problem with 1600m, 2000m, or even 2400 metres because he’s so relaxed.

“The Karaka Million 3YO Classic this season is $1.5 million, so it’s a pretty nice race to aim for.

“I’d like to thank Westbury Stud for the sponsorship of this race. El Roca is an underrated stallion and the sire of Romancing The Moon who won a Group One for us last season.”

 Owned by Meadowbank Masters Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM) & Te Akau Satono Samurai Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), Tokyo Tycoon, who took earnings near $700,000, was purchased by David Ellis CNZM for $125,000 at the 2022 Karaka Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Rich Hill Stud.  

“It’s one of the biggest thrills I’ve had for a long time, to see the job that Mark (Walker), Sam (Bergerson) and Reece (Trumper) have done to see him win first-up this season,” Ellis said.

“A horse that when he came out to the farm didn’t do that well spelling, and it’s enormous credit to the staff at Te Akau Stud and at Matamata.

“The owners of the horse have been so supportive and to see him come back as a three-year-old and win like that is very encouraging.

“He’s a proper little racehorse, not overly big but immensely talented and he’s shown that again today.

“We bought him as a yearling at Karaka. He was the last share to sell of all the yearlings that year and what a good horse he’s become.

“(CEO Warriors and NZTR Chairman) Cameron George has a share in him, he’s just rung me, very excited, and we wish the Warriors all the best tonight.”

It was the 13^th year that Westbury Stud, who stands El Roca (Fastnet Rock), had sponsored the Tarzino Trophy race day. 

Speaking on behalf of the owners, Waikato Racing Club CEO Butch Castles said: “Sir Colin (Meads) died not long before one of these meetings, when I was CEO here, and with Russell Warwick (Westbury Stud) we named this race in his honour.

“It’s great to honour such a legend in this fashion and a very proud moment for all the owners in Tokyo Tycoon, it’s an enormous thrill.”

Son of sire sensation Deep Impact, Satono Aladdin won the highest rated mile in Japan: Tokyo Yasuda Kinen (Gr. 1, 1600m) when running an incredible 1:31.5.

All About The Coin is by New Zealand bred stallion Starcraft (Soviet Star), a world-class galloper and five-time Group One winner that claimed titles of Champion 3YO in Australia, Champion Sprinter in New Zealand, and Champion Miler in Europe.

The dam-line goes back to Champion Sire Zabeel (Sir Tristram), being out of fourth dam Lady Giselle (Nureyev). 

Tokyo Tycoon was strapped by Kohen Collett. 

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz