Debutant Prince Tycoon might be headed north for the Brisbane winter carnival after scoring an eye-catching win at Caulfield in the $150,000 Next Payments Handicap (1100m) on Saturday.
The Written Tycoon gelding, trained by Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, was sent out a $2 favourite and overcame some rawness to surge late and claim victory. The effort impressed connections enough to suggest a start in the $1 million Magic Millions National 2YO Classic on May 23 is firmly in play.
“He was hanging the whole way around the corner and wasn’t super sharp like he was in the trial and I thought, ‘geez, when you’re the first one off the bit you’re in trouble’, but to his credit he dug in deep,” Busuttin said after the race.
Prince Tycoon raced just outside the leader Rosangela ($8.50) before unleashing a powerful finishing burst to win by a neck. Millenium Blade ($10) filled third place, some 2.5 lengths away.
Busuttin added: “There’s a million-dollar two-year-old race on the Gold Coast in about two weeks, so it’ll be hard to argue against that. But it’s just good to come here and get the job done. They’re always hard to win on a Saturday and they’re hard to win first time to the races.”
Purchased for $80,000 at the Gold Coast Yearling Sale in partnership with First Light Racing, Prince Tycoon has already begun to repay that investment.
Jockey Daniel Moor, who has partnered the gelding in much of his pre-race work, said the colt has plenty of upside.
“That was critically important, having that association with him before today, because he’s a quicky horse – he’s a big, scopey horse with great ability – but he’s still very much unfinished in his furnishing,” Moor said.
“He’s got a good future. He does need to furnish, he does need to mature, but even off today he may get a little bit further as well.”
With betting interest sure to grow ahead of the Magic Millions National 2YO Classic, now is a great time to compare odds and offers from Australia’s top bookmakers. Visit our betting sites guide for the best platforms to bet on upcoming carnival races.
