Proisir and Satono Aladdin hand Rich Hill another stunning result

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Rich Hill Stud enjoyed yet another stunning day at Pukekohe as Tokyo Tycoon (2 g ex All About The Coin by Starcraft) provided their talented shuttle stallion Satono Aladdin (Deep Impact) with his first Group 1 winner, while later in the afternoon, ultra-talented filly Prowess (3 f ex Donna Marie by Don Eduardo) handed New Zealand’s Champion Sire elect, Proisir (Choisir), with his fifth elite-level winner.

The Mark Walker-trained Tokyo Tycoon kicked the day off in style when he kept his unblemished record intact in the Sistema Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m), before the Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained Prowess followed up that win with a victory in the Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (Gr 1, 2050m).

It was the second time the pair headlined a day at the races, with Tokyo Tycoon having landed the Karaka Million 2YO (RL, 1200m), a performance Prowess matched with an impressive win in Karaka Million 3YO Classic (RL, 1600m).

Tycoon Tycoon chalked up his fifth career success by defeating Ulanova (Santos) by two and a half lengths providing jockey Opie Bosson with his 90th Group 1 victory.

Walker was quick to praise both horse and rider after an effortless elite-level win.

“I was a bit surprised he jumped and put himself so close today, but he travelled so good and Opie just sat and waited,” Walker said.

“He loafed a little bit, but he just goes out there and knows what his job is. He is real workmanlike and didn’t cost a fortune either and shows anyone can be involved, in fact we still had shares available in him in June last year. He was our last horse to sell that year.

Walker is still trying to work out whether to continue on with the current campaign for his charge.

“You just don’t know with him as you can only beat your opposition on the day,” he said. “We will see how he pulls up and we will work out a plan on Monday.

“We just want to let the dust settle, see how he eats although he always does eat up and then we will make a plan from there.” 

Bosson was his usual understated self when questioned about the performance and his record in the race.

“This race has been good to me and to Te Akau Racing over the years,” he said. “He [Tokyo Tycoon] actually made me feel nervous going out there, but he is a top horse and when he jumped out of the barriers, I felt like there were only two of us in the race.

“I was worried for about five strides when we tackled Ulanova, but once he changed leg, he quickened up nicely.

“I think he is right up there as he is untapped and just so laid back. He goes out there and just feels like he is going to go to sleep.”

Tokyo Tycoon was purchased for NZ$125,000 as a yearling by Te Akau principal David Ellis in March last year at the Karaka Book 1 Sale out of the Rich Hill Stud draft. 

Out of All About The Coin, a three-time winning daughter of Starcraft (Soviet Star), he is a half-brother to dual winner Syd’s Coin (Denman).

The gelding’s Vadamos (Monsun) half-sister was passed in at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale at Karaka after failing to make her NZ$150,000 reserve. Satono Aladdin stood for a fee of $12,500 (plus GST) in 2022.

Meanwhile, James and Wellwood’s decision to bypass last weekend’s New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) in favour of the New Zealand Stakes proved an inspired decision as the three-year-old filly finished strongly to beat Campionessa (Contributer) by a long-neck, while La Crique (Vadamos) was another two and a quarter lengths away in third.

“Any Group 1 victory is important and especially for a filly and that was pretty impressive,” James said.

“It doesn’t get any better and it wasn’t easy at all as we were going to the Derby ten days ago and we made the decision not to, which was definitely the right thing to do. She was hand-picked [from the yearling sales] and she is doing the job for her connections.”

The trainers went to NZ$230,000 to purchase the filly as a yearling out of Hallmark Stud’s 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 draft for long-time stable client Dean Skipper.

“You know for a moment there it looked like perhaps we might be going to get beaten, but she was just labouring with nothing in front of her, as when she saw the challengers come up to her she kicked again,” he continued.

“It was very impressive and very exciting. I saw the head-on film and I didn’t think we had any concerns from what I saw.”

She is out of the Don Eduardo (Zabeel) mare Donna Marie, making her a half-sister to the stakes-placed winner Ajay Tee (Foxwedge) and to winning siblings Diamond Ring (Super Easy) and Prima Donna. Donna Marie has an unnamed yearling foal by El Roca (Fastnet Rock) but missed when again covered by Proisir in 2021.

Prowess is the fifth individual Group 1 winner for Proisir with Levante, Legarto, Prowess, Dark Destroyer and Pier having all won Group 1 races this season.

The co-trainers will now consider some Australian autumn targets for prowess which will likely include the Vinery Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) in Sydney on March 25.