Talented two-year-old Tokyo Tycoon scoring a decisive two length win in an 1100m race at Pukekohe on Boxing Day. The Satono Aladdin gelding returns to the same course today for a crack at the $1million Karaka Million. Photo / Supplied
To have a share in a runner in today’s $1 million Karaka Million Two-year-old Classic at Pukekohe would be a thrill in itself but to have one of the favourites is a dream come true for Napier man Bruce Lewis.
Lewis is a member of a small group of friends that own a five per cent share in Tokyo Tycoon, who was the pre-post favourite for the 1200m feature but is now joint second favourite after barrier draws were done on Wednesday.
The two-year-old Satono Aladdin gelding, one of seven representatives in the race from the powerhouse syndicators Te Akau Racing, has drawn one from the outside at barrier 14 but trainer Mark Walker remains buoyant about the horse’s chances.
Lewis and his partners received the following email from Walker after barrier draws were released.
“Unfortunately we are drawn out at barrier 14.
“It’s certainly not what we wanted but that’s what we have been dealt with.
“Craig Zackey takes the ride and, from that draw, we will have to be a bit patient but they’ll scream along upfront anyway so let’s hope we have a bit of luck in the running.
“The horse’s preparation has been absolutely faultless and I still think he’s a definite winning chance from out there.”
Tokyo Tycoon was a $125,000 purchase from last year’s Karaka yearling sales and is unbeaten in two starts.
He scored a half-length win over 1100m on debut at Te Rapa back in November and followed that up with a decisive two-length victory over 1100m at Pukekohe on Boxing Day.
Opie Bosson, the number one rider for Te Akau Racing, was aboard the gelding in his most recent success and had been tossing up whether to ride him or stablemate Trobriand in today’s Karaka Million. He has opted for the latter after the Kermadec colt drew much better at barrier six.
Bosson has won the Karaka Million Two-year-old five times in the last six years and his decision to ride Trobriand, who is unbeaten in three starts, has seen the colt firm to outright favourite.
Bruce Lewis’s involvement in Tokyo Tycoon came about through a pacer he and some of his work colleagues raced a few years ago.
The horse’s name was Fortunia and recorded two wins and two minor placings from eight New Zealand starts before being sold to Australia, where he has gone on to win another five times.
“There was a group of us that raced Fortunia and David Archer, from Auckland, was the head of the syndicate,” Lewis recalled this week.
“He was trained by Cran Dalgety and when he sold him we were left with a pool of money and didn’t really know what to do with it.
“We spent about $3000 on Lotto and got nothing and then David said why don’t we take a share in a couple of two-year-olds syndicated by Te Akau Racing.
“Some of the members dropped out and those that stayed in were asked to put in another $1000 each and we have now got a five per cent share in two promising two-year-olds, Tokyo Tycoon and Mazzucato.
Mazzucato is a filly by Tivaci and has been runner-up in two of her three barrier trials, the most recent being over 960m at Tauranga on Tuesday where she finished strongly to be only a long neck from the winner.
“They are very happy with the way she is coming up and the plan is for her to have her first start at Matamata next Wednesday,” Lewis added.
Lewis also has a five per cent racing share in a three-year-old filly called Succeeder, who is trained at Hastings by Guy Lowry.
She is by Savabeel out of Thee Achiever and bred by prominent Waikato owner Tony Rider.
Succeeder has won two Hastings jumpouts in recent weeks and also recorded a good second in a 1200m trial at Foxton on Tuesday.
The plan is for her to make her race debut in a maiden 1600m race at next Thursday’s Hawke’s Bay meeting which will cap off a busy week for Lewis.
“I went a long time without a runner and now it looks like I’ll have three in a week,” Lewis said.
Needless to say, he and his wife Sharon will be on course to cheer home Tokyo Tycoon in today’s big race.
While Te Akau Racing had a mixed bag with the barrier draws for their seven runners in today’s Karaka Million Two-year-old, it was a group of talented fillies from Cambridge that fared the best with inside gates.
The fleet-footed Ulanova has gate speed to burn, and the Stephen-Marsh trained filly has had the best possible outcome for her racing when drawing barrier one.
Stakes-winning fellow Cambridge runners, Ethereal Star and Impendabelle have also drawn favourably in gates three and five respectively.
The draw has added to some building confidence around the well-related filly Ethereal Star, who is trained by Andrew Forsman and has top Melbourne jockey Damian Lane crossing the Tasman to take the ride.
Ethereal Star was a $600,000 purchase from last year’s Karaka sales and the daughter of Snitzel has already been a black-type winner on the Pukekohe track - capturing the Listed Barfoot & Thompson Challenge Stakes (1100m) in November.
Impendabelle, an Australian-bred filly by Impending from the Tony Pike stable, is the winner of two of her three starts including the Group 2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) at Trentham.
Te Akau Racing have made this race their own in recent years, celebrating six consecutive winners who were bought by David Ellis and trained by Jamie Richards.
With multiple premiership-winning trainer Mark Walker now back at the helm, Te Akau once again has a powerful hand in this year’s race with an incredible seven runners.
Trobriand is the highest-rated member of their arsenal with his three wins including a last start victory in the Group 2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m) at Te Rapa on New Year’s Day.
Had Tokyo Tycoon drawn better he would have pushed Trobriand for favouritism while the other Te Akau runners are She Turns Heads, Balance Of Power, Talisker, Rhetorical and Believe In Magic.
She Turns Heads, who has finished second to well-credentialled rivals in all of her three starts, got the best of Te Akau’s draws in gate two, while Balance Of Power has the daunting task of jumping from the extreme outside barrier.
Stakes placegetters Talisker, Rhetorical and Believe In Magic all drew midfield in gates seven, eight and nine respectively.
Fact-file for the Karaka Million Two-year-old
Barrier 1 and barrier 14 have had the most wins. They both have a success rate of 20 per cent and three wins. No horse has ever won from barrier 6.
The most expensive horse in this year’s race is Ethereal Star who was purchased for $600,000. The cheapest horse in the race is Farravallo who cost $20,000.
Australian stallion Snitzel is the sire of two runners in this year’s race, Ethereal Star and Rhetorical.
Te Akau Racing have won the past six runnings of the Karaka Million Two-year-old and have seven representatives as they chase a seventh victory.
Opie Bosson has recorded five Karaka Million Two-year-old wins. He had a four year winning streak with Melody Belle (2017), Advantage (2018), Probabeel (2019) and Cool Aza Beel (2020), before winning again aboard Dynastic last year.
International jockeys who have won the race: Michael Rodd (Australia, 2009), Stathi Katsidis (Australia, 2010), Craig Williams (Australia, 2012 and 2013), Mark du Plessis (Zimbabwe, 2014).
There are five international jockeys contesting this year’s race: Craig Zackey (Tokyo Tycoon), Warren Kennedy (Balance Of Power), Damian Lane (Ethereal Star), Joe Doyle (Orgullo), Jake Bayliss (She Turns Heads). NZ-born Daniel Stackhouse (now based in Australia) has been booked to ride Shoes.
Hastings races next Thursday
The first Hawke’s Bay race meeting for the New Year will be held at the Hastings racecourse next Thursday, January 26.
At this stage there are eight races scheduled, with the first timed for 12.16pm and the last at 4.24pm.
General admission and access to the Members Stand will be free.
This is an Industry Day race meeting with the feature races being a Rating 75 race over 2200m and a Rating 65 race over 1600m.
Planned NZTR roadshows
New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing chief executive Bruce Sharrock and chief operating officer Darin Balcombe will be undertaking roadshows across the North and South Islands to meet with local stakeholders and provide a strategic update on NZTR activities.
The itinerary for the month is.-
NORTHERN
Tuesday 7 February: New Zealand Bloodstock – Phar Lap Room 11.30am-1.30pm
Tuesday 7 February: Te Rapa Racecourse - Kentucky Lounge 4.30pm-6.30pm
CENTRAL
Wednesday 8 February: New Plymouth 12.00pm-2.00pm
Thursday 9 February: Awapuni 12.00pm-2.00pm
SOUTHERN
Monday 20 February: Riccarton Park - Gloaming Room 12.00pm-2.00pm
Tuesday 21 February: Wingatui 12.00pm-2.00pm
Wednesday 22 February: Ascot Park 12.00pm-2.00pm