Racing: Kiwi drought over in Australia as Tutukaka triumphs

Tutukaka wins the Listed Life Member Stakes at Eagle Farm. Photo / Grant Peters

The enormous success of the syndicate set up two years ago by trainer Tony Pike may help him retain his latest stable star Tutukaka.

The rangy juvenile broke a drought for New Zealand-trained gallopers at Australia's major meetings in recent months when he smashed his four opponents in the A$125,000 opening race at Eagle Farm in Brisbane yesterday.

Tutukaka, a half-brother by Tavistock to recently retired heroine Melody Belle, sat outside the leader in the rare 1830m juvenile event the Life Members Stakes before racing clear at the top of the straight when the only question left was how large the margin would be. The answer was four lengths, a hell of a way to break a drought and a case of job done for Pike who sent Tutukaka to Queensland with this race in mind.

The win not only guarantees Tutukaka a start in the VRC Derby at Flemington in November but soon had the phone ringing with offers certain to be in the seven-figure range, almost the standard for elite level two and three-year-olds these days with the market so hot internationally.

"The phone has been ringing already and the offers will be big because while it wasn't the strongest field he is a good horse," he said.

Pike has had success with this syndicate of owners that would be the envy of almost any other Kiwi trainer, with several of them already being sold for huge money and an offer on the table for another.

That might help the owners decide not to take any official offer that comes for Tutukaka.

"Ultimately you want to do the right thing by the owners and that is why I set this syndicate up in the first place because I wanted the best shot of buying the horses I wanted to train but at prices that were realistic.

"For this syndicate that sweet spot of being able to buy the right horses without paying too much was between about $150,000 and $350,000-$400,000, giving you options to trade them.

"But we couldn't have dreamed we would have the success this group has had. It has been very satisfying and something I am quite proud of, even though he puts the pressure on to keep the roll going.

"Because the guys involved have had some really good results along way they are well ahead on their investments and maybe that will make them keen to race on with this horse if a concrete offer comes rather than sell."

Tutukaka, who was ridden by Michael Cahill as champion jockey James McDonald was trapped in Sydney by their Covid restrictions, will now return to New Zealand to spell but won't race here in the spring.

"He will come home for three to four weeks and then get ready for a Derby campaign, but he will do all his prep racing over there."

Later in the programme, Kiwi-owned mare Zayydani further increased her enormous broodmare value for Trelawney Stud when she recorded her fourth win in the A$200,000 Gold Crown.

Coventina Bay and Kiwi jockey Samantha Collett finished a disappointing eighth in the A$600,000 Group 1 Tatt's Tiara. The Taranaki mare was near the back of the field at the turn but came home strongly.