Talented two-year-old Tokyo Tycoon (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) took another step on his journey to the Doubletree by Hilton Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) on January 21 with a stylish victory at Pukekohe on Boxing Day.
The showy son of Satono Aladdin was given a peach of a ride by Opie Bosson and despite some wayward tendencies in the final 300m, exerted his superiority over stablemate Viva Vienna (NZ) (All Too Hard) and the well fancied Impendabelle (Impending) to win the 1100m contest by two lengths at the line.
The result saw Tokyo Tycoon move into third behind Impendabelle and Ethereal Star (Snitzel) on the Karaka Million qualifying ladder, with Viva Vienna moving to seventh.
Trainer Mark Walker was loathe to rate his charge as the number one contender from his stable for the NZ $1million two-year-old feature, as he has a number of other chances lining up at Te Rapa on Sunday in the Gr.2 Carlaw Park Eclipse Stakes (1200m).
“He (Tokyo Tycoon) is a really nice, no fuss sort of horse and he did it fairly comfortably yesterday,” Walker said.
“The good draw (3) helped as Opie could find a position without too much effort and he put them away nicely when he asked him to go.
“He does look like 1200m will suit him as he was strong in the closing stages.
“He is definitely one of our chances for the Karaka Million, but I’m not too sure if he is the best at this stage.
“Opie will ride Trobriand on Sunday in the Eclipse Stakes and he has won two from two so far.
“If he was to win on Sunday then Opie will have quite a decision to make as to who he rides in the Karaka Million, but we will leave it up to him as he has pulled the right rein plenty of times in the past.”
Bosson has won five of the last six editions of the race aboard Te Akau Racing prepared runners, missing only in 2021 when he sat out the racemeeting due to suspension.
Walker was pleased by how his team performed on Boxing Day after also securing a stakes race double with Synchronize (NZ) (Savabeel) in the Listed Hallmark Stud Handicap (1200m) and the Listed Shaw’s Wire Ropes Uncle Remus Stakes (1400m) with excitement machine Wild Night (NZ) (Vanbrugh), while Prise De Fer (NZ) (Savabeel) picked up his sixth placing at Group One level in the Gr.1 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (2000m).
“We had a good day at Pukekohe and it was nice to see a promising mare like Synchronize bounce back after we had to put her aside when she bled in the spring,” he said.
“We have a good opinion of her and she has more wins in store.
“Wild Night did it nicely in his race and it really sets it up for a massive race against Legarto in the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) now.
“He pulled up well and I’m very happy with where we have him at the moment.
“Prise De Fer was very brave again and just found one too good for him on the day.
“You couldn’t ask any more of him as he just goes out there day after day and gives it his best.”
Walker will have a big team engaged at Te Rapa on New Year’s Day with class mare Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) making her return to the racetrack in the Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m) after being put aside following a disappointing effort in the Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) at Hastings in the spring.
