Back-to-Back Summer Cups for Tavi Time (NZ)

A year after claiming his first black-type win in the A$250,000 Group Three Summer Cup (2000m) at Randwick, Karaka graduate Tavi Time (NZ) (Tavistock) went back and successfully defended his title in the Yulong-sponsored feature on Boxing Day. 

Tavi Time was bought by Kiltannon Stables for $60,000 from the Karaka 2021 Book 1 draft of breeders Pencarrow Stud, who will offer a half-brother at Karaka 2026. Tavi Time has now had 28 starts for 10 wins, six placings and A$1.1m in stakes.

The Kris Lees-trained Tavi Time followed up his win in last season’s Summer Cup with a second black-type feature in the Listed Scone Cup (1600m) in May. He went winless in six starts after that, but was consistently thereabouts in finishing second in the Group Three Lord Mayor’s Cup (1800m), fourth in the Group Three Cameron Handicap (1500m), fifth in the A$1.5m Alan Brown Stakes (1400m), eighth in the A$3m The Big Dance (1600m), seventh in the A$1m The Gong (1600m) and ninth in the A$2m The Ingham (1600m).

The six-year-old was exceptional in his Summer Cup defence on Boxing Day. After being the last of the nine runners to turn for home, Tavi Time launched a blistering finish down the Randwick straight and hit the lead with 100 metres remaining. He went on to score by a length and a quarter.

“He has that electric turn of foot,” jockey Dylan Gibbons said. “I did say to Kris, if he was going to be lethargic early then I want to take the risk on an inside run. He really shot through. He can be electric on his day.”

Lees was pleased to see Tavi Time make a deserved return to the winners’ circle.

“It’s really good to get a win, especially for connections because it's been a really frustrating preparation right the way through,” he said.

“He is more than capable as we know. He got a lovely ride from Dylan, he got the right pressure up front. He bided his time and took the runs when they appeared, so it was a really good win."

Tavi Time is by the late Tavistock (NZ) out of Pencarrow Stud’s homebred Group One Telegraph (1200m) winner Guiseppina (NZ) (Johar), who is also the dam of a colt in Pencarrow’s Book 1 draft for Karaka 2026. That son of U S Navy Flag will go through the ring as Lot 465.

Karaka 2026 will take place at the Karaka Sales Centre from January 25 to 29, with Book 1 on January 25 and 26, Book 2 on January 27 and the new Karaka Summer Sale on January 29.