Swift Witness and Finance Tycoon put siblings on radar with impressive victories
Two-year-olds surge into contention for $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic at the Gold Coast
Timing can be everything and for Widden Stud and fellow Magic Millions consignor Eureka Stud yesterday’s Gold Coast two-year-old races, won by Swift Witness (Star Witness) and Finance Tycoon (Written Tycoon) respectively, provided an all-important pedigree update for the duo’s siblings.
Swift Witness, a Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained filly, was the first to guarantee her place in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) with a startling performance in the $125,000 Aquis Gold Pearl (1100m) to surge into $7 third favourite for Saturday’s $2 million feature.
Widden Stud, who sold Swift Witness for $260,000 at last year’s Magic Millions sale, offers her brother as Lot 871, the first horse through the ring in the fifth Book 1 session, and yesterday’s performance only added to his appeal.
“Swift Witness was very impressive today and she will be a leading contender in the Magic Millions and, given the full-brother sells next Saturday night, it has a real sense of timing about it,” Widden Stud principal Antony Thompson said yesterday.
“It’ll be a great day next Saturday and we look forward to selling a lovely colt.”
The yearling colt is the sixth foal out of the winning mare Taylor’s Command (Commands), a half-sister to the Group 2 winner So Pristine (Zabeel) and Listed winner Restored (Red Ransom), who is also the dam of Swift Witness’ stakes-placed former stablemate Terminology (Star Witness).
“Taylor’s Commands has been to Star Witness on three occasions and the first two are on the track with Gai and Adrian. Terminology ran very well in the Wyong Magic Millions and as we’ve seen Swift Witness improved from that good effort first-up and was very dominant there today,” said Thompson.
“It’s upwards and onwards for Gai and Adrian and everyone involved in Swift Witness.”
As for similarities between the colt and his siblings, Thompson said: “Terminology and Swift Witness are fillies but he is a stronger model.
“They were both good types and Gai and Adrian identified them as early, precocious types, which they were. They are very fast and this colt is very similar. He’s a lovely strong, forward type and a real Magic Millions type, hence the reason he’s here.
“He’s the sort of horse that everyone takes a close look at. He’s been very popular at the farm and we are starting to see a lot of repeat inspections with him.
“Not many people who looked at him the first time haven’t taken him off the list. He’s certainly on the second and third looks of most buyers.”
In the following race at the Gold Coast yesterday, it was the Tom Dabernig and Ben Hayes-trained Finance Tycoon, a last-start winner of the Maribyrnong Plate (Gr 3, 1000m), who downed ATC Breeders’ Plate (Gr 3, 1000m) winner Shaquero (Shalaa), in the Aquis Gold Nugget (1100m).
The victory was also a reminder to the deeds of Darook Park (Darci Brahma), a winning half-sister to the stakes-placed Silk Pins (Pins) and Gypsy Tucker (Zabeel), herself the dam of Group 2 winner Gypsy Diamond (Not A Single Doubt).
Eureka Stud will offer her fifth foal, a Spirit Of Boom (Sequalo) colt as Lot 211, on day two of the Magic Millions sale.
Simon Adams, the co-breeder of Finance Tycoon and his half-brother by Spirit Of Boom, who is out of winning mare Darook Park (Darci Brahma), was delighted to see the Written Tycoon (Iglesia) colt ensure he was a leading contender in Saturday’s $2 million race.
“I couldn’t have done it without the people behind us like Eureka, Harry, Scott. Grania and Angus McAlpine, all the guys there,” Adams said yesterday.
“I only own a share of Darook Park (and her progeny), along with Jeremy and Peta Schloss from Boom Racing, but it’s a big thrill for us.
“We’re only small breeders with a few mares and so it’s always nice to breed a good one.
“It’s been wonderful to get this far into it with Darook Park and to have another runner in the Magic Millions (after breeding Ef Troop). A big thanks must go to Tom Dabernig, Ben Hayes and JD Hayes, who has been up here looking after him, as well as Johnny McKeever for buying Finance Tycoon as a yearling. They’ve done a great job with him.”
‘You just worry about what you can do’
Widden Stud’s Thompson, meanwhile, is putting off the outside distractions such as the coronavirus pandemic and focusing on a strong draft of yearlings to be offered at the 2021 season-opening auction.
“It’s like any other yearling sale, you just worry about what you can do, present your horses well, give the buyers all the information and they will make the choices,” he said.
“For us, we’ve been really excited about getting to the Gold Coast with our horses and showing them off.
“We’ve been really committed to ensuring that it went as smoothly and safely as it could and, to be here with so many buyers here, it’s an exciting time. For those buyers who can’t get here, I’m sure with the quality of the videos and all the reports they can access, they feel like they are here with a virtual parade.”
Thompson said Magic Millions bloodstock consultants and independent agents were also being called on to provide advice to buyers who were unable to attend the seven-day sale, which starts on Tuesday.
“With the way auctions are working now, and certainly after Easter last year, everyone has total confidence to bid online and participate in the sale even if they’re not here,” he said.