Media World punches his ticket to Brisbane with Hawkesbury Guineas win
Yulong-owned million dollar colt Media World (Written Tycoon) became yet another stakes winner for that farm’s flagbearing stallion, while also enhancing his own stud prospects with a gritty all-the-way win in Saturday’s Hawkesbury Guineas (Gr 3, 1400m).
Jumping from gate 11 of 16 for Tyler Schiller, the regally bred Media World made a gradual move up the long back straight to eventually lead at a gentle tempo, before booting to a two length lead after turning for home.
Though tiring noticeably while passing the grandstand at the 100m mark, Peter Snowden’s $9 shot gripped on to hold out the fast-finishing $5.50 equal favourite Just Party (Justify) by 0.05 lengths on the oddly-positioned winning post. Godolphin’s Zeitung (Exceed And Excel) was a further 1.43 lengths back in third, with co-favourite Candlewick (Pierro) fifth.
Bred by Frank Cook’s Mystery Downs from Written Tycoon’s one season at Arrowfield Stud in 2020, Media World was bought by Yulong for $1.4 million at Inglis Easter 2023, from Fairview Park’s draft. Unusually for Yulong, Cook has remained in the ownership.
The colt continues a stellar season for Written Tycoon from that Hunter Valley crop. It’s put him on top of the Australian three-year-old sires’ table, by earnings and winners, with last year’s Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) heroine Lady Of Camelot his highest earner of the cohort.
Written Tycoon has 57 three-year-old winners from 100 runners this term, five more than second-best I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit). He has eight Australian three-year-old stakes winners, and 12 overall, making his 2021 offspring his finest crop for black type victors.
The rising 23-year-old’s seven Australian three-year-old stakes winners ranks second, however, to the nine of Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) and Too Darn Hot (Dubawi).
Media World is the first foal of the flying Meryl (Epaulette), who won two black type sprints in Eagle Farm’s BJ McLachlan Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) and the MVRC Scarborough Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m).
Third in last spring’s Dulcify Stakes (Listed, 1600m) at Randwick, Media World resumed this campaign with his second win, in Warwick Farm benchmark grade over 1200m, before rising in class and distance for Saturday’s stakes breakthrough.
Written Tycoon’s most expensive yearling of 2023 – and equal-fourth overall – Media World could be dubbed a Hawkesbury specialist, as unprepossessing a title as that sounds, having broken his maiden at this Saturday metro meeting last year in the non-black type Clarendon Stakes (1400m).
Yulong and Cook will now be hoping bigger and better awaits on grander stages for the colt after Saturday’s tenth start, which took his earnings to $344,000.
Snowden said Media World would now head to Brisbane for the Fred Best Classic (Gr 3, 1400m) on May 31 before possibly taking his first shot at elite level in the Stradbroke Handicap (Gr 1, 1400m).
“We deliberately held Media World back with the Hawkesbury Guineas in mind for him,” Snowden said. “It’s great that he can come here and win another nice race.
“I will take him to Brisbane for the Fred Best next. I’m hoping he could emerge as a Stradbroke Handicap horse. He’s heading in the right direction, that’s for sure.”
Snowden revealed Media World’s stud prospects were almost ended as he struggled to find his feet last year, with one win from his first eight starts.
“We were very tempted to geld him but Yulong wanted to give me one more chance with him as a colt and I’m glad they did,” Snowden said.
“Already it’s paid dividends. He’s won a Group race here today and I hope he can go on further and go to Brisbane and do something else.”
Snowden said he had feared Media World had been forced to work too hard to gain the lead in the Guineas, but was relieved to see him relax well.
Schiller said a mid-race breather helped secure the win.
“Once he did quicken from the top of the straight, although the challengers were there he always felt like he was toughing it out,”Schiller said.
“When it counted he was in front on the line, which was good. He is a very sharp horse.
“Pete was more worried about second-up, after having a tough run first-up, that he was going to be a bit soft. But to see him strong right through the line was great.
“I know that other horse dashed at him but he felt like he kept going through the line. He is going to improve into his preparation again, he’s a really honest horse.”
Meryl’s second foal fetched $320,000 at Easter last year and is now a two-year-old colt named Racketeer awaiting his first start for trainer Mick Price and his co-buyers Roll The Dice Syndication and Rogers Bloodstock.
The mare’s filly third foal by Pierata (Pierro) was bought by Randwick Bloodstock for $330,000 at last month’s Easter sale, also from Fairview Park’s draft.
Meryl now has a weanling filly by Pierro (Lonhro), but was not served last year.