Whoosh! Tarzino 3YO makes perfect start

Breednet - Wednesday September 8

Promising three-year-old Te Toki made an emphatic start to his career when successful at Taupo on Wednesday in the Ribchester @ Haunui Farm 1300m.

The much-hyped son of Tarzino had impressed in all three of his trials over the past 10 months and duly backed it up on raceday when winning by in excess of six lengths.

Singing in the rain Te Toki blows them away on debut (image Peter Rubery/Race Images)

Prepared by Simon and Katrina Alexander, the Matamata couple, who own equity in the smart youngster, admitted there had been plenty of offshore interest in the gelding dating back to December last year.

“When you turn down a lot of money for a horse initially and then go again, there is always some risk, so there was some relief in seeing him win today, but we were expecting him to win. We think he is a very good horse,” Simon Alexander said.

Advertisement

“We possibly see him being a very good miler in the spring. I think a 2000 Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m) at Riccarton would be right up his alley if the track was decent.

“If you get around Taupo as a big striding horse like that, he has done very well and a roomy track like Riccarton would suit.”

The Gr.2 Dundeel At Arrowfield Hawke's Bay Guineas (1400m) on October 2 could potentially be the next target for Te Toki, who is a half-brother to exciting Hong Kong galloper Packing Victory, unbeaten in two starts for Danny Shum.

“We will see how he pulls up and then have a think about whether we still own him, which will be the hardest thing,” Alexander said.

“We would love to race a horse like this, but the reality is other parts of the world want to race these horses more than what we can afford to do.”

Katrina Alexander said they had turned down initial offers knowing what a rarity they had on their hands.

“He is the full package. He is a very trainable horse with a great brain and a great attitude and obviously the ability. He is a very relaxed customer as well, so there are a lot of options for him and horses like him don’t come along every day,” she said.

The Alexanders had last season’s Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) favourite Tinker Mcphee, who raced without luck when fourth in the Riccarton feature, but said the filly was a different style of galloper to Te Toki. 

“This horse is only going to get better with some age on him. In particular after Christmas, you will see where he truly sits in the program,” Katrina Alexander said.

“Tinker McPhee was a brilliant filly and going forward this horse has probably got more scope.”

The Alexanders have had an association with Westbury Stud since returning to training two seasons ago after a five-year hiatus. Having prepared Ready To Run gallopers for the Gerry Harvey-owned nursery, they have been impressed with the stock of Tarzino.

“We have had a chance to look at some of his stock and we actually have quite a nice Tarzino being prepared for the Ready To Runs this year as well,” Alexander said.

“He is a slightly different mold, but a very athletic horse. They do show running ability, that’s for sure.”

Westbury Stud General Manager Russell Warwick was thrilled to see Te Toki deliver and is encouraged by what he has seen from the first crop of the stud’s young sire, with Tarzino the winner of the Gr.1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) and Gr.1 VRC Derby (2500m).

“Te Toki was a short-priced favourite and it is always nervous times when you see them that short on debut, but he vindicated the support that he had. His trials had been good so it was good to see him frank it on raceday,” Warwick said.

“A lot of them have been sitting on their hands to get to three. He is by Tavistock, out of a Zabeel mare, and how many two-year-olds have Tavistock and Zabeel produced? Not too many.

Te Toki a $45,000 Karaka yearling

“To have a city winner in Australia and a nice early horse in New Zealand that looks like he is pretty smart, you couldn’t have asked for a better start. You would like to think that as they step up in distance they are going to get better and better.

“It is early days, he has only got a couple of winners on the board, so we are not getting too far ahead of ourselves. In saying that, it gives you a lot of encouragement to know they are bred to stay and make Derby and Oaks three-year-olds down the track, and older.

“Mick Price has two that he is a bit excited about. They were both bought off us, one from the Gold Coast and one at Karaka.

“He bought a horse called Mangani in partnership with Duncan Ramage. They paid A$230,000 for him. He was the highest priced Tarzino in the first year. He has a high opinion of him and thinks he is a good horse.

“He also bought Jungle Magnate at Karaka, who was the first winner for Tarzino at Sandown back in January. I think he felt Mangani had a touch more class than Jungle Magnate at the same time.

“Jungle Magnate is back in work and I think the plan is to get him to the backend of the Spring Carnival in Melbourne, with a view to him developing into a nice horse in the autumn.” – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment

Race Result - Ribchester @ Haunui Farm Mdn 1300m

Taupo Track: Slow(8) Time: 1:22.39
1
Te Toki
- 3g Tarzino (NZ) x Espresso Cavallo (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: S & K Alexander Rdr: V A Colgan 58.5
2
6.3
Ardour
- 3f Proisir (AUS) x Fairfield Flame (GER) (Oasis Dream (GB))
Tnr: C W Cole Rdr: S T Collett 56.5
3
8.1
Polar Blast
- 3g The Bold One (NZ) x Valgrey (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: J G Bary Rdr: J K Riddell 58.5
4
8.5
Set In Stone
- 3f El Roca (AUS) x Paxos (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: Team Rogerson Rdr: B D Rogerson 53.5
5
9.3
Tiger Fire
- 3g American Pharoah (USA) x Jennio (AUS) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: M Baker & A Forsman Rdr: M Cameron 58.5
6
9.7
Kermalina
- 3f Kermadec (NZ) x Lion Blanc (AUS) (Reset (AUS))
Tnr: D G Greene Rdr: S C Spratt 56.5
7
12.4
Lady Vadamos
- 3f Vadamos (FR) x Devour (NZ) (Bachelor Duke (USA))
Tnr: L W Somervell Rdr: M Mudhoo 53.5
More Reading...
Wootton Bassett 2YOs on the March
Wootton Bassett’s star Northern Hemisphere two year-old Albert Einstein has been ruled out of Royal Ascot with a sprained joint that will require a few weeks off, but the red hot sire added two more talented debut winning juvenile colts at The Curragh overnight.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday June 4
Here is the full list of 48 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Written By Filly Dominates Warwick Farm Juvenile Contest
First seen at the two-year-old trials back in September, Marc Conners’ chestnut filly Penpel (Written By) produce a quality effort at just her second racetrack appearance, racing clear at Warwick Farm to score by more than three lengths.
Pride of Jenni to Visit I Am Invincible - Match Made in Heaven
Three-time Champion Sire I Am Invincible has been confirmed as the first mating for reigning Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year Pride Of Jenni, who will head to the breeding barn this season following a phenomenal racing career.
$1500 Weanling Becomes $525,000 Top Lot at MM National Yearling Finale
A colt by Harry Angel set a new benchmark in Australia for his sire and topped the final day of the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale when selling for $525,000 to conclude a hugely successful two weeks of sales.
Blueblood Import - American-Bred Jillaroo Records First Win
Purchased at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale by Ciaron Maher, the now 4yo mare Jillaroo (USA) (Curlin) initially started her racing career in the United States but after an Australian debut second at Caulfield in early May, recorded her maiden victory at Doomben.
Third Stakes Success For Justify’s Spicy Martini
A winner of four from six, three at stakes level highlighted by the reschedule Group 3 Fred Best Classic (1350m), the Toby Edmonds & Stephen McLean trained Spicy Martini (Justify) will now head to the Group 1 Stradbroke with just 49.5kgs on her back – not bad for an $8,000 online yearling purchase!
Second Winner For Ghaiyyath As Observer Scores By Five
Second on debut when just three parts of a length off the winner at Pakenham, the James Cummings’ trained Observer (Ghaiyyath) looked sensational as he made a mess of his rivals to score over 1400m in the Tile Importer Handicap on the Sandown Lakeside course.
Frosty Girl impressive on debut
The Chris Waller-trained Frosty Girl made the perfect start to her career when coming from last to land the Asahi Super Dry Plate (1300m) on debut at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
Stakes Performed Zousain Filly Too Good At Doomben
Third in the Listed Calaway Stakes two starts back, lightly raced two-year-old Zousain filly Sweet Pretender produced the goods at Doomben, charging late to win the Mullins Lawyers QTIS Two-Year-Old Maiden Plate (1350m).