Racing: Tokyo Tycoon earns spell despite wealth of options

Tokyo Tycoon. Photo / Supplied

Champion juvenile Tokyo Tycoon’s season is over.

The Karaka Million winner capped his perfect juvenile campaign with an effortless victory in the $320,000 Group 1 Sistema Stakes at Pukekohe on Saturday and managing owner David Ellis will resist the temptation to go to the well one more time.

That means missing the second of New Zealand’s Group 1 juvenile races, the Sires’ Produce at Awapuni on April 1, for which he was the $1.90 favourite.

“He has done enough and had a wonderful season so he deserves a break,” says Ellis, the boss of syndication giants Te Akau.

Tokyo Tycoon had the option of the Sires’ Produce or even the Sydney carnival for the two latter legs of the juvenile Triple Crown but Ellis says a spell now should help the son of Satono Aladdin develop into a Guineas horse in the spring.

“He is all class but not the biggest horse yet but I had a really good look at him yesterday and I think he will grow with a break, especially at this time of the year when it is a great time to spell horses,” said Ellis.

Ellis says Tokyo Tycoon’s physical development will be a factor in whether he heads to Australia in the spring or stays home to target the 2000 Guineas, although being a gelding his sole aim is accruing stake money rather than more Group 1s.

He heads to the paddock the first juvenile to win the Karaka Million, a Group 1 and be unbeaten.

His withdrawal from the Sires’ Produce paves the way for stablemate Trobriand to chase his first Group 1 but Ellis warns an unraced 2-year-old not even nominated for the race yet could be the stable’s Sires’ Produce sleeper.

“We have a filly making her debut at Matamata on Wednesday named The Princie One who we think could be very good,” said Ellis.

“If she lives up to her promise we could pay the late entry fee for the Sires’ Produce for her.”

Ellis said while disappointed Campionessa was beaten only by a neck in the Bonecrusher Stakes on Saturday, he was comfortable with the decision to not change the placings after an inquiry.

Also likely to miss the Sires Produce is fourth favourite Ethereal Star.

Trainer Andrew Forsman says rather than jump her up to 1400m at Awapuni, Ethereal Star is likely to head to Sydney to contest the A$1 million Percy Sykes Stakes over 1200m at Randwick on April 8.

“She is bound for Australia anyway as she will race out of my Victorian base in the spring so she is 90 per cent to miss Awapuni and head to Sydney then spell in Australia and stay there,” says Forsman.

Forsman was satisfied with Mustang Valley’s ninth in the Coolmore Classic at Rosehill on Saturday and says the mare has suitable potential races there every week for the next month but the key to her winning one may be some give in the track.

Forsman heads to Melbourne this week to prepare Aegon for the A$5 million All-Star Mile at The Valley on Saturday.

Prowess progress

Exceptional filly Prowess has one leg on the plane to Sydney after coming through her dramatic Bonecrusher Stakes win in great shape.

Co-trainer Robert Wellwood says the big filly trotted up freely yesterday morning so appears to have taken no harm from her win against the older weight-for-age horses.

“She is really good so at this stage she will head to Sydney next Sunday or Monday for the Vinery (Group 1, 2000m) the following Saturday.”

No jockey has been booked for Prowess in the Vinery but it will be an Australian-based rider, who will be her sixth different rider at her ninth start.