Mark Smith – Saturday March 2
Edged out in the Group II Autumn Stakes, Group II Australia Stakes, and Group III Caulfield Guineas Prelude, the stars aligned for Southport Tycoon in Saturday’s $1,000,000 Group 1 Howden Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington. Given a majestic ride by Jamie Kah, the Ciaron Maher-trained son of Written Tycoon peeled off the back of Veight at the 400m to defeat the son of Grunt by a length. The short-priced favourite Riff Rocket (American Pharoah) was bottled up worse than midfield on the fence and finished solidly one in clear air to be a length back in third. With his stakes breakthrough, Southport Tycoon advances his record to three wins and three seconds from seven starts with earnings of $862,250.
“He was almost the forgotten colt,” Maher said. “I was very confident last start, and I almost doubted myself a little bit. Jamie had the barrier, I was confident she had the right barrier to bounce and land in the right spot. She couldn’t have ridden the horse any better. She followed Veight into the race, you know he’s a genuine, genuine horse and I was very confident coming down the straight. “Nathan (Bennett) and his whole business, they’ve put a lot in, there’s not a race you see go round that there’s not the Bennett Racing colours. “This colt has always promised so much; these are your tatts lotto tickets, colts in group ones, full credit to them and great job to our team- Jack Turnbull, Ian Gilchrist, Fulmen Park, everyone involved, all the staff, all the riders, phenomenal. “Being a three-year-old colt, maybe it (the All-Star Mile) is worth considering a little bit more, “Now he’s got that group one on the board, it’s a more realistic option but I’m sure they’ll enjoy it tonight and we’ll have some good, healthy conversations about it tomorrow.”
Jamie Kah said she enjoyed a dream trip. “Everything just worked out a dream out there today,” Kah said. “We got into a beautiful spot, the horse I wanted to follow was Veight and we were following him. When I popped out at about the 400 (metres) I thought he’s going to run a really nice second, and then he just found and found and kept finding. “The scary thing is he’s still so raw, very dumb and immature, and he’s got a lot more improvement there, but I’ll take that- that was awesome.”
Southport Tycoon was a $300,000 purchase for Bennett Racing from the Daandine Stud draft at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and was the syndicator’s most expensive purchase. Bennet said the team thought he was the best colt in the ground, The striking chestnut is the best of two winners from as many to race for the More Than Ready (USA) mare Ready to Rule (USA), a sister to stakes-winner Grace And Power (USA). Runner-up in the Grade 1 Hollywood Park Starlet Stakes, Grace And Power was a $700,000 purchase for the late Steve Brem on behalf of Greg Perry at the 2009 Fasig-Tipton January Mixed Sale. Grace And Power is the dam of Group 1 VRC Darley Classic winner Delectation and the unraced Gracie’s Lass, the dam of Group 1 MRC Blue Diamond Stakes and Group 1 ATC Canterbury Stakes winner Artorius (Flying Artie). Ready To Rule (USA) was a $260,000 purchase for Daandine Stud / Boomer Bloodstock (FBAA) from the Bell View Park Stud draft at the 2015 Inglis Broodmare and Weanling Sale. She has been dogged by misfortune in her breeding career, with just two foals in eight seasons. After missing in 2020 and slipping in 2021, the daughter of More Than Ready (USA) foaled a filly by the Golden Slipper winner Farnan last spring and visited Spirit Of Boom. Southport Tycoon is the 62nd stakes-winner and 13th Group 1 winner for Yulong Stud’s Written Tycoon.
Race Result – Howden Australian Guineas Gr1 1600m
Flemington Track: Good(4) Time: 1:35.48
1 Southport Tycoon – 3c Written Tycoon (AUS) x Ready To Rule (USA) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: Jamie Kah 57
MM Gold Coast Yearling Sale $300,000 Seller: Daandine Stud, Goomburra, Qld Buyer: Bennett Racing
2 1.3L Veight – 3c Grunt (NZ) x Neena Rock (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS)) Tnr: T & C McEvoy Rdr: Damian Lane 57
3 2.3L Riff Rocket – 3g American Pharoah (USA) x Missile Coda (AUS) (Smart Missile (AUS)) Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Craig Williams 57
4 2.7L Quintessa – 3f Shamus Award (AUS) x Chaquinta (NZ) (High Chaparral (IRE)) Tnr: M W Walker Rdr: M J Dee 55
5 3.7L Verdad – 3g Justify (USA) x Whistle Baby (AUS) (Magnus (AUS)) Tnr: R Griffiths & M De Kock Rdr: Jye McNeil 57
6 3.8L Hey Fat Cat – 3g Rubick (AUS) x Keep De Rose (NZ) (Keeper (AUS)) Tnr: R E Laing Rdr: Ethan Brown 57
7 4L Cap Ferrat – 3c Snitzel (AUS) x C’est Beau La Vie (AUS) (Bernardini (USA)) Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: J Parr 57
8 4.3L Otago – 3g Ocean Park (NZ) x Steel Stilettos (AUS) (Hussonet (USA)) Tnr: M Price & M Kent Jnr Rdr: B Melham 57
9 5L Snow Patrol – 3g Contributer (IRE) x O’rocker (AUS) (O’reilly (NZ)) Tnr: M Price & M Kent Jnr Rdr: B Shinn 57
10 5.4L King Colorado – 3c Kingman (GB) x More Aspen (USA) (More Than Ready (USA))Tnr: C Maher Rdr: M Zahra 57
11 5.5LApulia – 3c Fiorente (IRE) x Giannarelli (AUS) (High Chaparral (IRE)) Tnr: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes Rdr: L Currie 57
12 7.5L Zipaway – 3g Playing God (AUS) x Boutique (AUS) (Discorsi (AUS)) Tnr: N D Parnham Rdr: S Parnham 57
13 7.6L Run Harry Run – 3g Written Tycoon (AUS) x Maybe Markle (AUS) (Denman (AUS))Tnr: M D Moroney Rdr: D W Stackhouse 57
14 8.4L Sunsets – 3c Dundeel (NZ) x Waterloo Sunset (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS)) Tnr: T Busuttin & N Young Rdr: John Allen 57
15 10.1L The Pendragon – 3g U S Navy Flag (USA) x Kerre (IRE) (Pour Moi (IRE)) Tnr: M D Moroney Rdr: Jordan Childs 57
16 15.6L Vieste – 3f Maurice (JPN) x Blazing Dragon (AUS) (Pendragon (NZ))
Tnr: Benjamin Smith Rdr: Fred W Kersley 55