Tokyo Tycoon (NZ) Makes Bold Spring Statement

For the second year in a row, Te Akau Racing has unleashed a reigning Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) winner on the opening day of the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival and struck even more black-type gold. 

Tokyo Tycoon (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) produced an exceptional three-year-old debut in the $90,000 Listed El Roca-Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m) at Hastings on Saturday. It was the fifth win of a six-start career for Te Akau’s little dynamo, who has returned $699,775 in stakes after being bought by David Ellis for $125,000 from Book 1 of Karaka 2022.

Tokyo Tycoon had towered over his peers as a two-year-old last season, scoring superb wins in all of his first four starts. Perhaps the most spectacular was his barnstorming finish from last to capture the Karaka Million after jumping from gate 13 in a 14-horse field. But he also blasted clear of his rivals to score by almost three lengths in the Group Three Matamata Slipper (1200m) in February.

He returned to action on Saturday and followed in the footsteps of his stablemate Dynastic (NZ) (Almanzor), who won last year’s edition of the Karaka Million before kicking off his three-year-old campaign with a Sir Colin Meads Trophy victory. Dynastic kicked away from the subsequent Group One New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) winner Pier (NZ) (Proisir) that day, crossing the finish line more than a length clear.

If anything, Tokyo Tycoon’s winning return on Saturday was even more impressive. After settling in third-last, top jockey Opie Bosson pushed the button at the top of the straight and immediately put the result beyond any doubt. The favourite changed gears in the blink of an eye and burst to the lead, opening up a commanding margin of two and a quarter length over Burn To Shine (NZ) (So You Think) and Rezeki (NZ) (Ardrossan).

“You’d love another 20 to 30 kilograms of body weight on him, but he is just a little champ,” co-trainer Mark Walker said. “With a little bit more sun on his back and with a little bit of his coat to still come out, I think there is good improvement in him.”

Tokyo Tycoon became the first stakes winner in the training career of Sam Bergerson, who joined Walker in a partnership at the beginning of this season.

“He’s just a fantastic little racehorse,” Bergerson said. “We were a little bit wary coming into today – his trials had only been fair, and he only does what he has to in his trackwork. But it’s a different story when he turns up on raceday.”