Satono Aladdin Wins G2 Hawkes Bay Guineas, But Not the One Punters Thought

Media Release - Saturday September 30

All eyes were on standout Satono Aladdin gelding Tokyo Tycoon in the lead-up to Saturday’s Gr.2 Animal Health Direct Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) at Hastings, but another son of the same stallion stepped out of his shadow and stole the show.

Lantern Way shook free of his maiden status with a stunning upset win, defying 20-to-one odds in outstanding style.

Lantern Way scores an upset victory in the Gr.2 Hawke's Bay Guineas (1400m) for Lisa Latta. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)

While Tokyo Tycoon’s wheels were spinning in the Heavy9 track and he struggled to make an impression from midfield down the straight, Lantern Way launched a powerful finish from third-last and went straight past him.

Lantern Way and jockey Jonathan Riddell had moved into third passing the 200m mark, and the Lisa Latta-trained gelding pinned his ears back and kept advancing, finishing over the top of Solidify and Burn To Shine to win by half a length.

“That’s a good way to break maidens,” Riddell said. “He’s got a lot of talent and has always been a really nice horse.”

Lantern Way was bred by Rich Hill Thoroughbreds, who stand Satono Aladdin for a service fee of $45,000.

Rich Hill offered Lantern Way as a yearling in Book 2 of Karaka 2022 last year, where Latta secured him for $40,000. His six-start career has now produced a win and three placings, earning more than $136,000 in stakes.

Although this was his first win, he had previously shown black-type quality with second placings in last season’s Gr.3 Taranaki 2YO Classic (1200m) and last month’s Listed Wanganui Guineas (1200m).

“He looked pretty ordinary in the Wanganui Guineas – his coat just wasn’t quite there,” Latta said. “We elected to give him the five weeks between runs. He had a nice jumpout at Levin in between times, where he ran in an open-class heat. He’s only a maiden, but he came from last and went through them just like that.

Advertisement

“He’s a pretty good horse, this. I was just a little bit concerned about today’s track conditions, but he obviously handled it.

“Craig McNeill has put together a fantastic bunch of owners to race this horse, and it’s great to get this result for them.”

Lantern Way is nominated for the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) on November 11, and the TAB now rates him an $8 equal third favourite for the Riccarton classic.

“A lot of his owners live down south, so it would be pretty special for them if we got him down there for the Guineas,” Latta said. “But obviously the horse comes first. We’ll get him through this and then go from there.”

The time of 1:27.19 clearly illustrated how persistent rain through the early part of the day had affected the Hastings track. It was the slowest Hawke’s Bay Guineas since Finnegan Fox clocked 1:27.28 in 1989.

Tokyo Tycoon’s jockey Opie Bosson believed those track conditions were the undoing of the $1.40 favourite, who finished fifth and almost eight lengths from the winner.

“He just didn’t feel comfortable in that ground, so that’s what I’d put it down to,” Bosson said. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk.

Advertisment

Race Result - AHD Animal Health Direct - Hawke's Bay Guineas Gr2 1400m

Hastings Track: Heavy(9) Time: 1:27.19
1
Lantern Way
- 3c Satono Aladdin (JPN) x No More Doubt (NZ) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: Ms L Latta Rdr: J K Riddell 57.5
2
0.5
Solidify
- 3c Redwood (GB) x The Warrior Woman (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: Team Rogerson Rdr: R T Elliot 57
3
4.5
Burn To Shine
- 3g So You Think (NZ) x Smoulder (NZ) (Traditionally (USA))
Tnr: S B Marsh Rdr: W B Kennedy 57
So You Think
4
5.3
Chantilly Lace
- 3f U S Navy Flag (USA) x On The Move (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: C A Bambry Rdr: L Sutherland 55
5
7.8
Tokyo Tycoon
- 3g Satono Aladdin (JPN) x All About The Coin (AUS) (Starcraft (NZ))
Tnr: Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson Rdr: O P Bosson 57
6
8.6
No Rain Ever
- 3f No Nay Never (USA) x November Rain (NZ) (Stravinsky (USA))
Tnr: W J Thurlow Rdr: C J Grylls 55
7
13.1
Rezeki
- 3g Ardrossan (AUS) x O'misty (NZ) (O'reilly (NZ))
Tnr: M Moroney & P Gerard Rdr: K Asano 57
8
13.6
Codigo
- 3g Ardrossan (AUS) x Sophia Magia (NZ) (Per Incanto (USA))
Tnr: S B Marsh Rdr: M J Mc Nab 57
9
19.6
Overdrawn
- 3g Shamexpress (NZ) x Max It Out (AUS) (Northern Meteor (AUS))
Tnr: A W Pike Rdr: V A Colgan 57
More Reading...
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.
Jenni The Pride of Trelawney
Comeback mare Pride Of Jenni has given Trelawney Stud a number of reasons to look forward to the spring after a dashing victory in the Gr.2 Feehan Stakes (1600m) on Friday night.
Sires With Winners - Monday September 29
Here is the full list of 22 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
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.
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.
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.
Pedigree Potential –NZB Ready to Run – Nicks that Click
A quality packed catalogue for the 2025 NZB Ready to Run Sale is now online and in the lead up to the sale we’ll go looking each week for some horses of interest that jump out on pedigree for various reasons.
Tara Talks Racing - Insights from a Legend - Darren Beadman
Beiwacht upstaged his more fancied rivals to win the $1million Group I ATC Golden Rose last Saturday in course record breaking style to become the hottest colt in Australia giving us the opportunity to chat to a legend that has been very much involved in his story so far.
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.
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.