Champion stallion Snitzel can sure sire a tough-nut – his seven-year-old son Taikomochi raced into Group 1 Metropolitan contention with an incredibly brave performance in the Group III Schweppes Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) at Randwick, while six-year-old son Snitzkraft took his stakes tally to three in the Listed SAJC WH Wylie Hcp at Morphettville.
Coming off a close up fourth to Friday’s Group III Newcastle Cup winner Mugatoo in the Group III Premier’s Cup (1900m) at Rosehill on August 29, the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Taikomochi kept up a relentless gallop to defeat the favourite Shared Ambition (IRE) (Born to Sea) by a length with a head back to Bringham Rocks (GB) (Fastnet Rock) in third.
“This is so satisfying,” Adrian Bott said.
“I have so much respect for this horse and what he has achieved in his career.
“To still be racing at this level at his age in the manner in which he does, he is such a tough horse.”
Taikomochi rarely runs a bad race. With his third stakes win the son of Snitzel advances his record to 7 wins, 5 seconds and 4 thirds from 29 starts with earnings of $605,925.
Bott does not believe the 2400m of the Metropolitan will not prove a problem
“He’s a fit horse and we have given him a really good grounding leading into the Metropolitan. I think he’ll run it out strongly and is well-weighted in the race,” Bott said.
Taikomochi was purchased by G Waterhouse / BBA Ireland for $180,000 from the Kitchwin Hills draft at the 2015 Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
A 5% share in Taikomochi was purchased by Andrew McClure for $5k in June Inglis Digital Sale,
A half-brother to the stakes-placed Mineko (Fastnet Rock), Taikomochi is the best of five winners from seven to race out of the unraced Fusaichi Pegasus (USA) mare Geisha who is a half-sister to the Group III winner Yes Boss and Listed winner Laguna Lake.
Geisha has a 2yo filly by Written Tycoon who was purchased by Australian Bloodstock for $45,000 at the 2019 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale.
A few months later Geisha was purchased for $50,000 by Merricks Station/Group 1 Bloodstock carrying a filly by Rubick who she visited again last year.
The Phillip Stokes-trained Snitzkraft had been out of the winner’s circle for 11 starts before breaking through in the Wylie.
It was the third stakes win for the 6yo entire advancing his overall record to 7 wins, 3 seconds and 2 thirds from 30 starts with earnings of $670,455.
Raced by a syndicate including his breeder Mick Power and AFL legend Leigh Matthews, Snitzkraft failed to meet his $300,000 reserve when offered by Arrowfield Stud at the 2016 Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
He is the best of three winners from as many to race out of the 5-time winning O'Reilly mare Power O'Raylee a half-sister to stakes-winner Moveovre from the family of NZ Horse Of The Year Uncle Remus.
Power O'Raylee has a 2yo filly by Sebring who was purchased by Tony Gollan for just $15,000 at this year’s Magic Millions National Yearling Sale
She has a yearling filly by So You Thinks and was bred back to the Coolmore stallion again last spring.
