Talented horses often make a statement from the outset, and trainer John O’Shea is hoping that’s true for Tyreek, who made a winning debut at Canterbury on Wednesday.
Named after NFL speedster Tyreek Hill, the three-year-old defied a lack of race experience and a slow start to capture the TAB Handicap (1200m) in style.
“It’s funny how it works — the really good ones tend to show it right away,” O’Shea said. “Even though he’s still learning and has plenty of improvement to come, he found a way to win. That’s a promising sign.”
“He wasn’t much to look at as a yearling, but he had the right kind of movement. He’s athletic, and you saw that today. We’ve got something to work with.”
With Dylan Gibbons aboard, Tyreek ($5) missed the jump but settled well back in the field before unleashing a strong finish to reel in favourite Burma Star ($4) and score by a half-neck.
Burma Star brought solid juvenile credentials, having run fourth in both the Group 3 Canonbury Stakes and behind stakes performer King Of Pop at Warwick Farm earlier this year.
“Anything coming out of a race with King Of Pop has to be respected,” O’Shea noted.
Jockey Dylan Gibbons admitted he was concerned early, but things turned around quickly.
“He didn’t jump well and I thought we were in trouble, but in the end it helped,” Gibbons said. “He’s a pretty laid-back horse and being further back gave him something to chase. That woke him up.”
“He’s got speed, no doubt about it. A very nice effort first-up.”
Later in the program, Chris Waller’s four-year-old Island Dream impressed with a tough second-up win in the Keenland September Yearling Sale Handicap (1550m).
Waller isn’t rushing the mare but has long-term ambitions to get her to black-type level.
“We threw her in the deep end at the end of last prep, so it’s good to see she’s come back strong,” Waller said. “She might be the type for an Aspiration or an Epona Stakes in the autumn.”
“For now, we’ll let her find her rhythm and target the right races without facing the elite ones just yet.”
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