A delighted Waipukurau owner-trainer Carl Taylor embraces his partner Leanne Dever following Tukituki’s all the way win in a Rating 65 race over 2000m at Taupō on Friday of last week.
John Jenkins is a longtime racing journalist based in Hawke’s Bay
Havelock North couple David and Bry Mossman had to make some hasty travel arrangements this week after learning on Monday that Mazu had gained a start in this Saturday’s A$20 million The Everest in Sydney.
The Mossmans own a 5% share in the outstanding sprinter, who filled the last remaining slot in the 1200m Randwick feature, the one owned by Yu Long Investments.
The Mossmans have made regular trips across the Tasman to watch their star galloper compete and had no hesitation in quickly booking flights to Sydney so they can again be on course to cheer him home.
The breeding and racing superpower Yulong Investments has called on the veteran sprinter to fill their slot that was made vacant when Private Harry pulled up sore when finishing fifth in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes at Randwick a fortnight ago.
Triple Crown Syndications own the majority shareholding in Mazu and will reunite with Yu Long Investments in a bid to repeat their 2018 Everest victory, when they combined to win the race with Redzel.
Now a seven-year-old, Mazu is no stranger to The Everest stage.
He has twice lined up in the weight-for-age race, finishing third behind Giga Kick and Private Eye in the 2022 edition and then severely hampered in the running when 11th in 2023.
Mazu entered Everest discussions with a last start third in the Premiere Stakes (1200m) behind two of his race-rivals, Briasa and Jimmysstar, after setting a frantic pace. Being a front runner, he has drawn perfectly at barrier two and will be ridden by experienced Sydney jockey Sam Clipperton.
The Mossmans are under no illusion as to the challenge Masu faces in this year’s Everest, especially with Hong Kong champion sprinter Ka Ying Rising among the star-studded field. But they are confident the horse will again acquit himself well.
“He produced a very good run last start and that was his third start back this time in so he should be peaking for The Everest,” David Mossman said.
“He’s going well and he’s never let us down, so we are hoping for another good run.”
The Mossmans were hoping for some rain before race time as Mazu is at his best on soft to heavy tracks. But he has also won on good footing and five of his nine wins have been over 1200m on the Randwick track.
Prizemoney is paid out to every runner in The Everest, which is the world’s richest race run on turf. The connections of the winner will receive A$7.5m while second placed prizemoney is A$3m and third A$2m. Even filling a seventh to 12th placing is worth A$700,000.
“Obviously, it’s disappointing that injury forced Private Harry’s withdrawal from the Yu Long slot, but to secure a seasoned sprinter like Mazu is a huge bonus, particularly at this late stage,” said Yu Long chief operating officer Sam Fairgray.
“Mr Zhang has already tasted success in The Everest with Triple Crown Syndications, thanks to Redzel’s phenomenal run in 2018, and it’s extremely exciting to be partnering with the team again for another tilt.”
Mazu has been one of Australia’s most reliable and consistent sprinters, amassing more than A$9.2m in prizemoney and another A$3m in bonuses.
He has had 40 starts for nine wins, four seconds and six thirds, with his most important win coming in the 2022 Group 1 Doomben 10,000. His last success was in the Group 3 Hall Mark Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 19, on a soft-5 track.
He will be one of three horses running for Yu Long Investments in this year’s The Everest as they also own and race Angel Capital and Magic Time.
There will also be plenty of Hawke’s Bay interest in the performances of Jimmysstar and Magic Time in the race.
New Zealand-bred Jimmysstar, a son of Per Incanto, began his racing career from the Hastings stable of Guy Lowry. He produced the gelding for two wins and a second from three starts before he was sold overseas and transferred to Australian trainer Ciaron Maher. He has gone on to win another seven races and more than A$2m. He has drawn one from the outside in barrier 11 and will be ridden by Ethan Brown.
Magic Time is prepared by Cranbourne trainer Grahame Begg and will be ridden by Michael Dee, who started his jockey apprenticeship in Hastings when attached to the stable of Guy Lowry and Grant Cullen, and his parents live in Hawke’s Bay. The six-year-old mare is the winner of eight races and more than A$3m in stakemoney but has the outside barrier draw of 12 to overcome.
Tukituki led his rivals a merry chase
Tukituki is the only horse hobby Waipukurau trainer Carl Taylor has racing at the moment but the five-year-old gelding is bringing a wealth of joy to him and several members of his extended family.
The son of Complacent stunned punters when winning at odds of 22 to one in a Rating 60 race at Taupō on Friday of last week, his second success from 15 starts.
Tukituki had not raced for four months but Taylor turned him out in great order and, aided by a superb ride from Brazilian-born jockey Bruno Queiroz, the horse led his rivals a merry chase throughout the 2000m event.
Taylor said this week he had done plenty of preparatory work with Tukituki so he was confident the horse was ready to run out a strong 2000m fresh up and added that a well-judged ride from Queiroz certainly helped.
“He’s a great jockey and followed instructions to the tee,” Taylor said.
“Tukituki is a horse that, if you fight him, he won’t perform. You have to leave him alone and let him find the front on his own and then just rate him from there.”
Tukituki began well from a midfield draw and Queiroz let him roll to a clear lead with a round to go. He maintained a two-length advantage over his rivals going down the back straight before giving his mount a breather passing the 600m.
That allowed the others to close the gap momentarily before Queiroz kicked Tukituki clear again rounding the home bend and the horse kept up a strong run to the line to win by a neck from Orange River, with race-favourite Heza Sharp One a further half a length back in third.
Tukituki’s only other win was also over a middle distance, in a 2100m maiden race at Woodville in November last year.
Taylor is a builder by trade and so he only ever wants to look after one or two horses at any given time. He bred Tukituki in partnership with his late daughter and races him in partnership with his partner Leanne Dever, Renee Dever, Angela Paewai and Herbert Spencer, all members of his extended family and all based in Hawke’s Bay.
Taylor said Tukituki will probably start next in a $40,000 Rating 65 race over 2200m at Tauherenikau on November 1 and then he would dearly love to give the horse a run in the $35,000 Waipukurau Cup (2100m) on his home track on November 16.
“He’s a good horse when he’s ridden right,” Taylor added.
“He tries so hard and has a high cruising speed.”
Taylor also owns a three-year-old half-brother to Tukituki called Tukipo. He gave the son of Mongolian Falcon one run as a two-year-old last season and has since given him to new Waipukurau trainer Allan Scarlett to train.
“He’s a young guy who has been riding a lot of work around the place and has now got his trainer’s licence. He is keen so hopefully he can get some more horses around him,” Taylor said.
Cup plans hinge on Livamol performance
Sharp ‘N’ Smart’s Melbourne Cup campaign hangs in the balance, with his performance in this Saturday’s Group 1 Livamol Classic (2040m) at Ellerslie dictating whether he continues on that path.
The former New Zealand Horse of the Year has had three starts to date this preparation, and while unplaced in all three, co-trainer Graeme Rogerson has been pleased with his efforts.
“He has had a couple of runs and they have been very good,” said Rogerson, who trains in partnership with his wife Debbie. “He is getting up to a distance that suits him.”
Sharp ‘N’ Smart will be ridden in Saturday’s feature by George Rooke, and Rogerson said he received good feedback from the expat Englishman after he rode his charge in a track gallop on Tuesday morning.
The six-year-old son of Redwood was among the 53 acceptors in the second declarations for the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday, but Rogerson said a trip across the Tasman requires a bold showing this weekend.
“We will see what happens on Saturday and see where his future lies,” he said.
Meanwhile, trainers Ken and Bev Kelso believe their Group 1 winning mare Legarto is ready to fire in Saturday’s Livamol Classic following a pleasing piece of work at Matamata on Tuesday.
“She worked nice on the course proper with Quintessa and Vinnie [Colgan, jockey] was quite happy with her work,” Ken Kelso said.
Waikato’s wet spring hasn’t been ideal for Legarto’s preparation, with the daughter of Proisir finishing sixth in the Group 1 Proisir Plate (1400m) at Ellerslie first-up before going one better in last month’s Group 1 Howden Insurance Mile (1600m) at Te Rapa.
“She will appreciate getting back onto a better track at Ellerslie, so hopefully we are tracking in the right way. Her work indicated that we are on track for a nice run on Saturday.”