Southport Tycoon Triumphs in Thrilling G1 Manikato Stakes

Mark Smith - Friday September 27

A brilliant rails-hugging ride by Mark Zahra resulted in the 4-year-old Written Tycoon entire Southport Tycoon running down his 3-year-old stablemate Growing Empire in a thrilling $2,000,000 Group 1 Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley.

Southport Tycoon launches late (image Grant Courtney)

With just one of the twelve runners behind him, Southport Tycoon stayed glued to the rails, and by the time they straightened, the Bennett Racing colour-bearer was in a striking position.

As the lightly raced Zoustar colt Growing Empire began to shorten stride after challenging the lead, Southport Tycoon pounced to win by a short-head.

Advertisement

The dual Group 1 winner, I Wish I Win, finished solidly, a further two lengths back in third place.

Southport Tycoon won for the first time since defeating Veight and Riff Rocket in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington in February. In his following two starts, the son of Written Tycoon finished midfield in the Group 1 All-Ages Stakes and Group III  Show County Qlty at Randwick.

A $300,000 purchase for Bennett Racing from the Daandine Stud draft at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Southport Tycoon advances his record to four wins, and three seconds from ten starts with earnings of $2,093,350.

“He raced really well around The Valley, he needed that first-up run. I said to Nath, he went from a boy to a man over the break.

“He needed that first-up run, just to get him back in the swing of things,” Maher said.

“He put the writing on the board in the trial; his sectionals were phenomenal late.

“I thought Mark was the perfect jockey for him because you had to play that nice waiting race, a nice waiting ride.

“He (Nathan Bennet)can find them. He's got about half a dozen two-year-olds in the stable at the moment, and they are all showing a bit.

Nathan Bennett said the stable was bullish about Southport Tycoon.

A second Group 1 - Happy days (image Grant Courtney)

“They told us from the start. They told us from word go that he was a pretty good colt,” Bennett enthused.

“They have looked after him, saying we've got to wait, we've got to wait, and we kept waiting, just put all the trust in the boys, and wow.

“I can't believe what Mark Zara did on him. I thought at the 200m he was going to run a nice race, but to run them down and win it, jeez, that's some run.

The chestnut is the best of two winners from as many to race for the More Than Ready (USA) mare Ready to Rule (USA), a sister to stakes-winner Grace And Power (USA).

Runner-up in the Grade 1 Hollywood Park Starlet Stakes, Grace And Power was a $700,000 purchase for the late Steve Brem on behalf of Greg Perry at the 2009 Fasig-Tipton January Mixed Sale. She is the dam of Group 1 VRC Darley Classic winner Delectation and the unraced Gracie's Lass, the dam of Group 1 MRC Blue Diamond Stakes and Group 1 ATC Canterbury Stakes winner Artorius (Flying Artie).

Ready To Rule (USA) was a $260,000 purchase for Daandine Stud / Boomer Bloodstock (FBAA) from the Bell View Park Stud draft at the 2015 Inglis Broodmare and Weanling Sale. She has been plagued by misfortune in her breeding career, with just two foals in eight seasons.

After missing in 2020 and slipping in 2021, the daughter of More Than Ready (USA) foaled a filly by the Golden Slipper winner Farnan last spring and visited Spirit Of Boom.

Advertisment

Race Result - Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes Gr1 1200m

Moonee Valley Track: Good(4) Time: 1:09.91
1
Southport Tycoon
- 4h Written Tycoon (AUS) x Ready To Rule (USA) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: M Zahra 58.5
2
0.1
Growing Empire
- 3c Zoustar (AUS) x Miles Of Krishan (AUS) (Snitzel (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: Craig Williams 52
Zoustar
3
2.1
I Wish I Win
- 6g Savabeel (AUS) x Make A Wish (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: P G Moody & Katherine Coleman Rdr: L Nolen 58.5
4
2.4
Kimochi
- 4m Brave Smash (JPN) x Summer Fun (AUS) (I Am Invincible (AUS))
Tnr: G Portelli Rdr: J R Collett 56.5
5
2.7
Climbing Star
- 5m Zoustar (AUS) x Bryony (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: P Stokes Rdr: D W Stackhouse 56.5
6
3
Coleman
- 3c Pierata (AUS) x Sboog (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: M M Laurie Rdr: K Mc Evoy 52
7
3.3
Estriella
- 4m I Am Invincible (AUS) x Madrigals (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: B Shinn 56.5
8
3.6
Recommendation
- 5g Shalaa (IRE) x Adviso (USA) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: M J Dee 58.5
9
5.1
Hayasugi
- 3f Royal Meeting (IRE) x China Road (AUS) (Commands (AUS))
Tnr: C W McDonald Rdr: Jamie Kah 50
10
5.2
Johnny Rocker
- 5h Jukebox (AUS) x Margene (AUS) (Magic Albert (AUS))
Tnr: Nick Ryan Rdr: B Melham 58.5
11
5.3
Veight
- 4h Grunt (NZ) x Neena Rock (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: T & C McEvoy Rdr: Damian Lane 58.5
12
5.8
Caballus
- 4h I Am Invincible (AUS) x Calming Influence (AUS) (Commands (AUS))
Tnr: Bjorn Baker Rdr: J Parr 58.5
More Reading...
Southport Tycoon Strikes in Group One Australian Guineas
Edged out in the Group II Autumn Stakes, Group II Australia Stakes, and Group III Caulfield Guineas Prelude, the stars aligned for Southport Tycoon in Saturday's $1,000,000 Group 1 Howden Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington.
Media World Adds to Millionaire Yearling Stakes Success
Stakes racing on Saturday produced a number of stakes-winners purchased for seven figures as yearlings in Australia with $1.8million Inglis Easter sale-topper Autumn Glow leading the way in the Group I ATC Epsom after earlier success for $1million 2YO Incognito, while at Flemington $1.4million entire Media World took out the Listed VRC Paris Lane Stakes (1400m).
Sires With Winners - Saturday October 4
Here is the full list of 119 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Surprise Bart Cummings Victory Secures Valiant King Melbourne Cup Run
It’s not often you see a runner from the Chris Waller stable go around at 50/1 odds, but 6yo gelding Valiant King (GB) produced an outstanding effort to win Saturday’s $350,000 Group 3 VRC Bart Cummings (2520m) at Flemington, securing himself a run in this year’s $10m Gr1 VRC Melbourne Cup (3200m).
First Stakes Horse for Home Affairs
The Group III ATC Breeders Plate (1000m) at Randwick on Saturday attracted a strong field of talented colts from the recent official 2YO trials in Sydney and Home Affairs looks to have a quality youngster in I’m Ya Huckleberry.
The Dreams Alive for Southport Tycoon
The most anticipated race anywhere on Wednesday was the match-up between three hugely impressive debut winners, Snow Patrol (Contributer),  Akicita (Grunt), and Southport Tycoon (Written Tycoon) in the Ladbrokes Hub (Bm64) (1300m) at Sandown-Hillside, and it lived up to the billing.
Sir Delius Delivers G1 Turnbull Stakes Win
Adding Saturday’s $750,000 Group 1 VRC Turnbull Stakes (2000m) to his Group 1 MRC Underwood Stakes (1800m) victory last start, the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Sir Delius further enhanced his outstanding reputation ahead of an assault on the WS Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup.
Pedigree Watch – Juvenile Stakes-Winners
Three new season juvenile stakes races on Saturday produced a $1million yearling purchase that gave Golden Slipper winner Stay Inside the perfect start to his stud career, a pinhook winner turned stakes-winner and a colt foaled in Australia with a Kiwi pedigree.
Historic Day in Kalgoorlie - Old Meets the New
Kalgoorlie knows how to party, and on Cup day 2025 the party was big!
War Machine Stakes Everest Claim - G2 Gilgai
David Hayes has a New Zealand-bred superstar heading into the A$20 million Gr.1 The Everest (1200m) in two weeks, where his sons Ben, Will and JD Hayes might line up against him with a Kiwi-bred Group One winner of their own.