Tycoon continues to re-Write record books
Woodside Park’s flagship stallion celebrates rare Guineas double as potential sire sons emerge
Woodside Park Stud’s Written Tycoon (Iglesia) yesterday became the first horse in almost half a century to produce the winners of both the Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) and Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) in the same year as Ole Kirk (3 c ex Naturale by Bel Esprit) and Odeum (3 f ex Movie by Red Ransom) took out the double at Caulfield yesterday.
No stallion had achieved the feat since Sovereign Edition’s (Sovereign Path) top fillies Surround and Savoir took the Caulfield Guineas and Thousand Guineas respectively in 1976; that year, they were run a week apart.
The pair of Guineas wins came just a couple of races after another son, Dirty Work (4 h ex Maidel by Ad Valorem) took out the Schillaci Stakes (Gr 2, 1100m) to potentially put himself into the picture for Saturday’s $15 million The Everest (1200m), as well as securing his future as a Spendthrift Australia stallion for the years to come.
“To be fair, I think I’m fairly lost for words,” Woodside Park Stud chief James Price told ANZ Bloodstock News yesterday. “The performance of Written Tycoon’s stock today, it was breathtaking, spine-tingling. It was an incredible day, one that will forever be remembered.
“If we go back to 1976 (for the Guineas double), it’s an incredible achievement and for Written Tycoon to achieve that, that’s something very, very special.
“Dirty Work got us off to a great start, Odeum hit the mark and proved so dominant and then to top it off with Ole Kirk winning his second Group 1 in the space of a fortnight, it again highlights he is one of the best stallions in the country and he will remain at the top for years to come.”
Yesterday’s successes continued a stellar month for Written Tycoon, who is currently standing his first season at Arrowfield Stud in the Hunter Valley.
He recorded another Group 1 double across two days in late September when Pippie took the Moir Stakes (Gr 1, 1000m) the night before Ole Kirk’s breakthrough feature success in the Golden Rose (Gr 1, 1400m).
Last weekend, his most prolific son at stud Capitalist had his first stakes runners, although father upstaged son by producing early Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) favourite Enthaar in the Gimcrack Stakes (Gr 3, 1000m).
The strong early performances of Written Tycoon’s progeny this season has also allowed him to take an early lead in the general sires standings with his sons and daughters earning $5,331,960 since August 1, placing him ahead of I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) on $3,413,276 and Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) on $2,526,930.
However, that early title battle is set to change complexion next weekend with the running of The Everest at Randwick, with the winner’s sire likely to claim the lead.
Still, Price reiterated that he firmly believes the best is yet to come with Written Tycoon.
“There is so much upside with this horse,” said Price. “These horses that we’re seeing are only off a $45,000 service fee, although obviously his two-year-olds like that filly who won the Gimcrack last week, they are off an $80,000 service fee. We’re looking ahead to the next few years of Written Tycoon – onwards and upwards.
“A massive congratulations to all of the owners who have invested heavily in Written Tycoons, particularly the colts like Dirty Work. Congratulations to Spendthrift, hopefully there is a Group 1 for that horse in the spring, and of course to all the major partners of Ole Kirk, particularly Rick Jamieson, who I see bred both the Caulfield Guineas winner and the third horse. He’s been a big supporter of Written Tycoon.
“I think Mark (Rowsthorn, Woodside Park principal) is probably lucky that crowds can’t be at trackside here in Victoria just at the moment as I think my credit card could well have been over the members bar at Caulfield and it could have been a fairly big night with a fairly large bill. It would have been wonderful to be there.”
Guineas double for Written Tycoon
Ole Kirk will head to stud as one of the most valuable prospects of his generation after his victory in yesterday’s Caulfield Guineas.
As a son of one of the hottest stallions in the country, a close relation to Black Caviar and one of just two colts to have completed the Golden Rose and Caulfield Guineas double, the Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes-prepared Ole Kirk ticks plenty of boxes that will entice breeders in the coming years.
Sent off as the $4.20 equal favourite, Ole Kirk was the beneficiary of a sublime William Pike ride.
Positioned midfield one off the fence from gate seven, Pike was deftly able to avoid trouble when Tagaloa (Lord Kanaloa) began dropping back sharply through the field; even as Ole Kirk lost a length, Pike was able to switch to the inside and avoid trouble, ultimately a game-changing move.
Tracking up on the turn, Pike then moved outside horses, travelling strongly all the while. While Aysar (Deep Field) raced to the lead, Ole Kirk chased gamely and gallantly. The pair came away to fight it out, with the Golden Rose winner doing enough to score by a long neck.
Grandslam (Myboycharlie), the brother to Caulfield Cup (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Jameka, was third, two lengths away.
It gave Team Hawkes a double after Dirty Work took out the Schillaci Stakes, while champion Perth jockey Pike mastered the tricky Caulfield track to boot home a four-timer, including two Group 1 wins.
For shrewd breeder Rick Jamieson, who bred not only the winner but also the third-placed Grandslam under the Gilgai Farm banner, it was the culmination of years of planning, sprinkled with moments of anticipation.
“It’s a breeder’s dream, you put so much time and effort and energy into it and then to finally get to a race like this and win it, it’s just amazing,’’ Jamieson said.“His future is now confirmed as a stallion if it wasn’t before, he’s got such a brilliant family.
“This guy will be a super stallion, and I’m not just saying that. He’s got the bloodlines to be a super stallion, the looks to be a super stallion and it’s just another chapter in a remarkable family.
“I was nervous, I always get nervous and today was particularly nerve-wracking but it’s been a fantastic day.’’
The breeding barn beckons, but while Jamieson doesn’t know what awaits Ole Kirk in the coming months, he does know where the colt will be this time next year.
“There’s no doubt he’ll go to stud next year,” he said. “I’d say the ownership group will get together in the next few weeks when we’re allowed and see where he’s going to stand and that the Hawkes’ will pick a path for the autumn.’’
Purchased for $675,000 by Mark Player’s International Thoroughbred Solutions on behalf of Neil Werrett at last year’s Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, Ole Kirk has now earned $2,044,100, with the promise of plenty more to come at stud.
Ole Kirk has a two-year-old half-sister in training named Gimmie Par (Not A Single Doubt). She is being prepared by Peter Moody and will race in the Gilgai Farm all-black.
The pair’s dam Naturale (Bel Esprit), a sister to champion mare Black Caviar, has missed the last two years to Cable Bay (Invincible Spirit) and Exceed And Excel (Danehill).
Forty minutes before Ole Kirk’s Guineas win, the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Odeum took out the fillies’ equivalent, the Thousand Guineas.
Owned by bloodstock agent Sheamus Mills in partnership with Anthony Roberts and Heath Newton, Odeum produced a dominant performance to take the Classic, defeating Personal (Fastnet Rock) by a length and three-quarters with a long head to Instant Celebrity (Not A Single Doubt) in third.
Her time of 1:36.22 was 0.16 seconds faster than the boys recorded just a race later.
“She’s a filly that has bloomed this whole preparation,” Price said. “I’d have to say a big congratulations to Sheamus Mills. We sat in that ‘dungy old’ office 20 years ago and have been working together for years and years and years. He’s been putting up with me, dragging him in here on Saturday morning to clock horses. It’s great now that he’s logged on a Group 1 filly. He does a lot of hard work and he’s a smart man.”
It was a first Group 1 win for Kent, who entered into a partnership with Price 18 months ago.
“I’m on cloud nine, it’s the most amazing feeling. Even without there being a crowd here, family and friends, the emotions going through the body, it’s unbelievable.
“She was home a long way out. It was a funny race because there was a big pack of them in the first four. It was very messy in there. She got a lovely run and once he got her out and gave a kick, the race was over.
“We’ve been saying all week how she’s bloomed this week and she raced accordingly. She still won quite soft. Her ears were pricked. It was amazing.”
A $420,000 purchase by Mills at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the Newhaven Park draft, Odeum has now earned $718,550 through just four starts.
Her dam Movie (Red Ransom), whose only previous winner from two to race was Brian Crowley Stakes (Listed, 1200m) victor Goodfella (Snitzel), has a two-year-old I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) colt named Video, while she has a yearling Zoustar (Northern Meteor) filly. She is due to foal to Zoustar again in the coming weeks.
Everest or not, futures secured for sprinters
Dirty Work and Wild Ruler (3 c Snitzel – Gypsy Robin by Daaher) put themselves forward as the most likely horses to fill the final slot for the $15 million The Everest, held by clients of trainer Chris Waller, after their respective wins in the Schillaci Stakes and the Roman Consul Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) yesterday.
However, whether they line up in the world’s richest turf race or not, both secured their place on future stallion rosters with their victories yesterday.
Dirty Work, owned by Spendthrift Australia, is likely to become the headline local stallion for the Victorian operation after his last-to-first Schillaci victory, grabbing favourite Diamond Effort (Mossman) in the last stride.
Other young guns like Rubick (Encosta De Lago) and Star Turn (Star Witness) scored their biggest success in the same race and have gone on to find a home at some of the biggest studs in the country.
“That win has cemented his place on our roster for next year,” Spendthrift Australia general manager Garry Cuddy told ANZ Bloodstock News. “You can’t argue around his form this preparation, with a couple of unlucky runs behind some pretty high quality horses. We were just happy that he was able to get the job done at Group 2 level.
“A horse like Rubick is obviously doing a fantastic job at stud so far and Start Turn, although we’ve only seen his first two-year-olds, we’ve obviously seen some nice trial results for his progeny.
“Hopefully those two horses can continue to raise the credibility of the Schillaci honour roll”
Like Ole Kirk, Dirty Work is prepared by Team Hawkes, having been purchased by Spendthrift Australia for $800,000 out of the Sledmere Stud draft at the 2018 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. It looks a shrewd investment now, particularly with Written Tycoon emerging as the next potential sire of sires.
“He’s a son of Written Tycoon and I don’t think there is a stud master in the country after the last two weeks that would knock back a son of Written Tycoon at the moment. He’s absolutely flying, taking home two Group 1s and a Group 2 today,” Cuddy said.
“He’s arguably the best stallion in the country at the moment and obviously it’s exciting to have a son of his with us. You make a play on these horses when you buy them as yearlings and you hope that Written Tycoon ends up going the right way and that the horse ends up getting a result like this on the track.
“Written Tycoon is doing his job and Dirty Work has definitely done his today. It’s very exciting.”
Co-trainer Wayne Hawkes added: “He’s a belting looking horse with a beautiful, beautiful attitude and it’s a good result for Spendthrift. He’s a stallion now.”
The Australian arm of American breeding giant Spendthrift has developed into a major player on the local scene since acquiring Yallambee Stud in 2015. Dirty Work gave the B. Wayne Hughes operation a first Group 2 success down under.
“This is Spendthrift’s highest level Group win in Australia and he’s the best we’ve had so far, so it’s very exciting,” Cuddy said. “It means the world. Mr Hughes has entrusted us to do a job down here and at the moment we’ve got, as two of our five horses on our roster, horses we purchased as yearlings, and we are now able to add another yearling purchase to the roster in Dirty Work.
“It’s a great achievement for the farm and an achievement that I’m quite proud of on a personal level as well. He was the best walking horse at the sale in our opinion, and we only bought two horses at that sale. He was an obvious standout for us at that sale.
“He’s just continued to develop and strengthen up. I think in his three runs this prep he’s been the pick of the yard in each of them, and it shows that he’s a good-looking horse and that creates a bit of a presence for him.”
As for The Everest, Cuddy hadn’t received a call from the Chris Waller stable as of last night, but with races like the Manikato Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) and the Darley Sprint Classic (Gr 1, 1200m) on offer in Melbourne in the coming weeks, there are options aplenty for Dirty Work.
“It would be great to go and take out The Everest, but we came to Melbourne because we’re about building the profile of these horses with the black type status,” Cuddy said. “There’s only one better than a Group 2 and that’s a Group 1, so we’ll aim to win a Group 1 somewhere along the way and tick that last box.”
Dirty Work’s dam Maidel (Ad Valorem) produced a sister to the sprinter in 2018; the unnamed two-year-old was purchased by Steve Daniels through the Inglis Digital December Sale last year. She also gave foal to a brother to Dirty Work in 2019, but he was euthanised a month after he was born.
Maidel is currently in foal to Written Tycoon’s son Capitalist.
Roman Consul Stakes winner Wild Ruler is another who looks to have secured his future at stud, given he is owned by a consortium headed by Newgate Bloodstock.
Newgate Farm principal Henry Field said that The Everest was one of two options on the table for the three-year-old, who won by two lengths over On The Lead (I Am Invincible) yesterday.
“He will either go to the Coolmore or The Everest,” Field said. “He is an exciting horse.”
Earlier in the week, Field admitted The Everest had become more attractive after last year’s winner Yes Yes Yes (Rubick) was named Champion Three-Year-Old Colt or Gelding during the Australian Racehorse of the Year Awards, despite the race not holding Group 1 status.
“Everything has changed with this race after Yes Yes Yes was named champion three-year-old for last season and he only won The Everest,” Field said.
“It doesn’t matter that it is not a Group 1, it is the race that is above all other sprint races in the country and the world. We wouldn’t worry about Melbourne if Wild Ruler got into The Everest because the prize is just so big if you win it.”
Field told ANZ Bloodstock News this week that he would be guided by Wild Ruler’s trainers Peter and Paul Snowden, and Paul Snowden was reluctant to reveal his hand post-race yesterday, although he did indicate that discussions would take place about the vacant slot.
“My guys will speak to their guys I suppose and we’ll sort it out from there,” he said. “This is what it was about today. Obviously a Group 2 is nothing to sneeze at on his resume. We can then look at our options.”
Wild Ruler’s dam Gypsy Robin (Daaher) has an American Pharoah (Pioneerof The Nile) yearling filly, while she is back in foal to American Pharoah again.
Cox Plate picture muddied after Caulfield Stakes, Spring Champion
The Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) picture was turned upside down yesterday, not just by the Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) – with Cox Plate entries Amish Boy (Star Witness), King’s Legacy (Redoute’s Choice) and Tagaloa finishing sixth, ninth and last respectively – but also by two of the day’s other Group 1 races, the Caulfield Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) and the Spring Champion Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m).
The Caulfield Stakes was expected to confirm two-time Group 1 winner Russian Camelot (Camelot) as favourite for Australia’s weight-for-age championship, but the Danny O’Brien-trained four-year-old was defeated by a resurgent Arcadia Queen (5 m Pierro – Arcadia by Redoute’s Choice), who returned to her best in a powerhouse display.
The Grant and Alana Williams-trained Arcadia Queen, who races in the cerise and white colours of her breeder Bob Peters, emerged as a superstar three-year-old filly in 2018, defeating the boys in the WATC Guineas (Gr 2, 1600m) before overcoming her elders in the Kingston Town Classic (Gr 1, 1800m).
A winner of one of her three starts at four in the Theo Marks Stakes (Gr 2, 1300m), it has taken her time to find her best this spring, although her last two runs when second in the Let’s Elope Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) and third in the Underwood Stakes (Gr 1, 1800m) suggested she was approaching something near her best.
Given a cold ride by Pike, Arcadia Queen loomed up ominously upon straightening and quickly had Russian Camelot – who had overrated for much of the event – in her sights. Racing up boldly, she quickly put a length and a quarter on her rival, with veteran Humidor (Teofilo) again producing his usual honest performance in third, two and a half lengths behind Russian Camelot.
“It’s a great team effort,” Grant Williams said. “A lot of months in the making and all the team at home, with Alana and the team, they got her home. They did a lot of recovery work and got her back. I would still like her feet to be better. I wanted to put the plates on for the day and the bars will go back on Monday to be cautious.
“It’s great to see her back and we can look forward to the Cox Plate now.”
The TAB reacted by winding in Arcadia Queen to $6 second favourite from $21 yesterday morning, with Russian Camelot easing from $2.80 to $3.20.
Their main rivals are expected to emerge from Werribee, with Aidan O’Brien’s Armory (Galileo), his former stablemate Sir Dragonet (Camelot) and the Roger Charlton-trained Aspetar (Al Kazeem) next in betting.
The Spring Champion Stakes in Sydney was considered a potential stepping stone for three-year-olds aspiring to tackle the Cox Plate, but it appears unlikely any candidates will head to Moonee Valley after trainer David Payne ruled the race out as a possibility for winner Montefilia.
The Payne-trained Montefilia (3 f Kermadec – Bana Wu by Shirocco) added the Spring Champion Stakes to her record, giving her two Group 1 wins in the space of a week after she claimed a maiden top-level triumph in the Flight Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) last weekend.
Like last weekend, Montefilia came with a tenacious burst to chase after the leader, reeling in the John O’Shea-trained Lion’s Roar (Contributer) to score by three-quarters of a length. The pair came well clear of the rest, with blueblood Bucharest (Deep Impact) a further three and three-quarter lengths away in third.
However, while Payne is once again giving thought to a Melbourne campaign – having initially ruled it out last month – he says that the Cox Plate is not on her agenda.
“I will have a look at the race in Melbourne, the Oaks,” he said. “You have to look at it. She has only had seven runs now but we’ll see how she is in a couple of days as we will be taking on the fillies again. I feel she will be better over 2500 metres.
“She is good and will be even better next year. If you look at her she is quite a lean filly. It’s exciting. She got a little bit held up there but it all worked out well there. If you see her getting off the float you’d think she was flat as a pancake. She just stood there with her head down. She is a trainer’s dream.”
Second favourite Love Tap (Tapit) was considered the best chance of taking on the Cox Plate after the Spring Champion, but after he faded into fourth, jockey Nash Rawiller suggested he had come to the end of his campaign.
“He is a lovely horse and he gave me a beautiful ride,” Rawiller said. “He hadn’t given any indication that he had come to the end of his preparation until the 300 metres and then he didn’t give me the kick. We’ll have a nice horse in the autumn.”
Montefilia last week became the first Group 1 winner for Darley’s Kermadec (Teofilo) and is the best performer from four raced foals out of UK stakes performer Bana Wu (Shirocco). Bana Wu has a two-year-old filly by Shalaa (Invincible Spirit) in training with Ciaron Maher, while she also has a yearling colt by Ribchester (Iffraaj); she missed to the same sire last year.
Purchased by Payne for $130,000 from the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Montefilia has now taken her earnings over the million-dollar mark with prize-money of $1,010,925.
The day’s other feature, the Toorak Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m) at Caulfield, is also unlikely to have a bearing on the Cox Plate after Queensland Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Mr Quickie (5 g Shamus Award – Special Favour by General Nediym) defeated all-comers as top-weight in the historic contest.
The Phillip Stokes-trained Mr Quickie had not won since defeating subsequent Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) victor Vow And Declare (Declaration Of War) in the Queensland Derby, but the handler believes he may finally have figured out the secret to his charge after the five-year-old scored by two lengths over Buffalo River (Noble Mission) yesterday.
“Definitely so, this is his trip,” Stokes said. “We’ll keep him fresh now. We’ll go to the Cantala Stakes at Flemington. It’s good to see him back. He’s found form. We’ll keep him happy.
“It’s a big thrill to win a Group 1 for the team here in Melbourne, full credit to Wylie Dalziel and the owners. We bounced a lot of ideas off each other including Peter Moody and we thought this was the best way to go.”
Mr Quickie’s victory provided Jamie Kah with her third Group 1 win and comes as the rider prepares for one of the biggest opportunities of her career: the mount on Prince Of Arran (Shirocco) in next weekend’s Caulfield Cup, as well as in the Melbourne Cup.
“It’s amazing. I’ve been hanging out to ride a Group 1 for an Adelaide supporter of mine and I finally did it,” she said.
“I’m just so happy how things are going at the moment. I’m just rapt with the support I’ve been getting. Hopefully we can keep ticking over. I’m really excited to have a ride in the Melbourne Cup this year and just a few things like that. That was my goal and to win at least one of the features, things are looking pretty good.”
Mr Quickie is the first foal out of Special Favour (General Nediym), while he traces from New Zealand royalty; his second dam is multiple Group 2 winner My Tusker (Volksraad), while his fourth dam is champion Kiwi filly Horlicks (Three Legs).
Back in Australia after a period in New Zealand, where she produced a Sacred Falls (O’Reilly) filly, Special Favour is back in foal to Shamus Award (Snitzel).
A $115,000 purchase by Wylie Dalziel at the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Mr Quickie has now earned $1,686,050, having won ten of his 23 starts.