Written Tycoon 2YO Shocks in VOBIS Gold Ingot

Mark Smith - Saturday July 24

Mick Price and Michel Kent Jnr were favoured to win Saturday’s Neds Vobis Gold Ingot with their Zoustar gelding Sunfall, but the unloved stablemate River Views staged a remarkable last to first performance.

Few were more shocked than Kent Jnr as the experienced River Views was coming off a five and a half lengths second in a maiden at Wodonga.

River Views blows the punters out of the water (image Scott Barbour/Racing Photos)

The Written Tycoon gelding was the most experienced runner in the race, breaking his maiden at his sixth start.

Advertisement

Last of the twelve runners on the turn, River Views made his run down the centre of the track under Patrick Maloney. Picking off runner after runner, River Views won, running away by a length from the Shamus Award gelding Umgawa with Sunfall a half-head back in third.

“It was a massive surprise; we weren’t sure he could win at all,” Kent said.

“Pat said this morning that he would like to try something different and ride him cold. He was possibly on the better ground. It bodes well for our other horse (Head First), who beat him by nearly six lengths at Wodonga.

“It was fantastic for the owners. Sunfall ran well, but it was a massive win.”  

Consigned by his breeders, Diamond Park Breeding and Racing, to the 2020 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, River Views left the ring unsold when failing to make her $150,000 reserve.

River Views failed to make his $150,000 reserve at the Inglis Premier Yearling sale

River Views is the first live foal of the Rakti (GB) mare Sparks Alight, a 5-time winner in Melbourne.

A half-sister to Listed Morphettville Guineas winner Sparks Fly (Flying Spur) and the stakes-placegetters El Spark (Elvstroem) and Sparks Burn (Niello), Sparks Alight is a daughter of the well-performed Spartacus mare Dual Spark.

Runner-up in the Group III SAJC Dermody Stakes, Dual Spark is a half-sister to the Listed winner Rancho Spark (Rancho Ruler), who was third to Sports and Falvelon in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate.

Sparks Alight has a weanling filly by Russian Revolution and was covered by Alabama Express last spring.

River Views is the 16th 2yo winner this season for the Champion Stallion elect Written Tycoon who stands at Yulong Stud for the first time in 2021 with a service fee of $165,000.

Advertisment

Race Result - Neds Vobis Gold Ingot 1400m

Caulfield Track: Soft(6) Time: 1:26.13
1
River Views
- 2g Written Tycoon (AUS) x Sparks Alight (AUS) (Rakti (GB))
Tnr: M Price & M Kent Jnr Rdr: Patrick Moloney 57
2
1.0
Umgawa
- 2g Shamus Award (AUS) x Express Central (AUS) (Undoubtedly (AUS))
Tnr: L & T Corstens Rdr: Dean Holland 57
3
1.1
Sunfall
- 2g Zoustar (AUS) x Queen Of The Falls (AUS) (General Nediym (AUS))
Tnr: M Price & M Kent Jnr Rdr: C Newitt 57
4
1.8
Pounding
- 2g Exceed And Excel (AUS) x Silent Entrance (GB) (Beat Hollow (GB))
Tnr: P G Moody Rdr: B Higgins 57
5
4.1
Swear Shes Perfect
- 2f Swear (AUS) x Dancin Perfect (USA) (Pleasantly Perfect (USA))
Tnr: M Ellerton & S Zahra Rdr: Damien Thornton 55
6
4.2
Lord Paramount
- 2c Frosted (USA) x Antarctic Miss (NZ) (Ustinov (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: John Allen 57
7
4.4
Regulus
- 2c Starcraft (NZ) x Leone Chiara (AUS) (Lion Hunter (AUS))
Tnr: D T O'Brien Rdr: Craig Williams 57
8
5.1
Cherrypick
- 2f Lionhearted (AUS) x Beau Vallon (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: P G Moody Rdr: B Prebble 55
9
5.9
Blazing Bay
- 2f Cable Bay (IRE) x Lacerta (AUS) (Northern Meteor (AUS))
Tnr: S C Bottomley Rdr: Carleen Hefel 55
10
6.2
Pammy Joy
- 2f Nicconi (AUS) x Joyano (AUS) (Equiano (FR))
Tnr: Ben & J D Hayes Rdr: D Oliver 55
11
6.5
Heavy Duty
- 2g Manhattan Rain (AUS) x High Tea (NZ) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: M D Moroney Rdr: Fred W Kersley 57
12
9.2
Reynaire
- 2c Nostradamus (AUS) x My Trust (IRE) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: Jamie Kah 57
More Reading...
Karaka Million Dreaming for Out of the Blue
Te Akau Racing marketing manager Julia-Rose Hayes has had plenty of success syndicating horses selected by her father, David Ellis, and that has continued with her latest syndicate.
Goffs Orby Day 2 - Trio of Million Dollar Yearling Fillies
The second day of the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale took off overnight with three individual yearlings selling for a million or more with the full sister to dual Group I winning champion 2YO Colt Blackbeard selling for €1.9 million to MV Magnier.
Equimillion This Long Weekend – Draws and Start Lists
Racing NSW have their annual Equimillion event coming up this long weekend at Sydney International Equestrian Centre at Horsley Park and for people interested in off the trackers it’s a showcase for the sport, so let’s take a look at who’s who in the zoo.
2025 G1 Epsom Handicap Field and Barrier Draw
The field and barrier draw has been decided for the Group I Epsom Handicap on Saturday with odds-on favourite and unbeaten mare Autumn Glow drawing the extreme outside gate in a field of 14.
Youngsters Impress Leading into Magic Millions Horses in Training Sale
The build up to the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Horses in Training Sale has intensified with a swag of impressive breeze up performances over the past week.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday September 30
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
2025 G1 The Metropolitan Field and Barrier Draw
Chris Waller and Ciaron Maher are set to have half of the Group I Metropolitan field between them with the Waller trained Birdman an easing favourite after drawing a wide gate for Saturday’s race.
Resolute Racing Purchase Top Lot Goffs Orby Day 1
The Goffs Orby Yearling Sale kicked off overnight and the top lot on Day 1 was a colt by Blue Point purchased by John Stewart’s Resolute Bloodstock for €675,000, while Wootton Bassett produced the top selling filly, whose half-brother Trinity College is now in Australia.
Autumn Glow Epsom Challenge - Just How Big Is This Task?
With the unbeaten Autumn Glow set to run as the first odds-on favourite this century in the Epsom Handicap on Saturday we thought we’d run some data to see how big this mountain is that she’s attempting to climb, and turns out, it’s pretty big.
She's Unusual Keeps Good Times Rolling
Continued success with resident stallion Unusual Suspect and their racing team has kept Nigel and Adaire Auret busier than they may have envisaged, but without any complaints.