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A trip to Flemington over the Melbourne Cup Carnival looks the likely end-of-campaign option for the progressive Tycoon Star after the Team Hayes trained sprinter easily accounted for his rivals at Caulfield on Saturday with a dominant win in the 2025 McNeil Stakes on Memsie Stakes Day.
The Ben, Will & JD Hayes trained Written Tycoon colt came into the Group 3 $200,000 HDF McNeil Stakes (1200m) second-up after the autumn’s Blue Diamond third placegetter ran a lovely race fresh when runner-up by the barest of margins in the Vain Stakes.
Appreciating the extra distance up to six-furlongs and fitter for his resuming run, he and jockey Michael Dee bolted well clear of the field and raced away for an impressive 1.75 length win over the previously undefeated VOBIS Showdown winner McGaw.
“I didn’t want to go back and just run a nice race finishing off. He’s probably not best ridden the way I rode him today, it was the way it panned out,” Dee said post-win.
“I thought MGaw was able to get to the front quite comfortably and then I decided to give him that squeeze and end up outside him.
“He gave a good kick and that was the winning kick at the top of the straight.”
Finishing 2.5 lengths off the winner in third to round out the McNeil Stakes trifecta was the consistent Ciaron Maher trained Vain Stakes winner Jimmy Recard.
Resuming favourite, Group 1 Inglis Sires’ champ Vinrock, meanwhile finished a distant fourth first-up beaten over six lengths.
Tycoon Star was very sharp with visors added to his gear in a change co-trainer Ben Hayes said made a tremendous difference.
“Definitely, but he trained on beautifully from his first-up run where he peaked a little bit,” he said.
” I thought Michael (Dee) took luck out of the equation, he went forward, travelled beautifully and he gave a really good kick and was strong through the line.
“He’s a horse that we’ve always had a bit opinion of and to see him come out and do this today is really exciting and going forward we will have fin planning with Yulong where to go with him.
“Today, with that run under the belt, two weeks between runs, he was tough all-the-way through the line.
“With Jimmy Recard, and McGaw, they both have good form, and it should be a good form race going forward.
“It’s good to see Written Tycoon do it again. He’s always thrown great horses, and we’ll just have to wait and see how he pulls up and where we go.”
With relentless pace and commanding presence, Tycoon Star left his fellow three-year-olds trailing in his wake to earn a shot at a Group 1 target this prep, something he looks well up to according to Dee.
“He’s definitely right up there this time round. He’s barely done anything wrong, apart from hanging in first-up and probably being a little bit fresh and peaking on his run,” the jockey said.
“The boys are really happy with how he paraded today, and he relaxed much better and he’s going to improve again out of this.”
The Hayes boys are now seriously considering the Group 1 $2 million Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on VRC Derby Day, November 1, for the horse’s grand final.
“He looks sharp and he’s already a winner down the straight,” Hayes said.
“We’ve got lots of options. I’d like to talk to Mickey and the owners and make a decision.
“We could see him down the straight next start, but we’ll have to have a talk to the team.”
Merchant Navy (2017) was the last three-year-old to complete the McNeil Stakes – Coolmore Stud Stakes double.
Updated pre-nomination 2025 Coolmore Stud Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au on Tycoon Star to be the next have firmed in from $26 to $13.
McNeil Stakes 2025 Results
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1st
3. Tycoon Star (8)
J: Michael Dee 58.5kg
T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
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2nd
6. Mcgaw (9)
J: Damian Lane 57kg
T: Emma-Lee & David Browne |
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3rd
4. Jimmy Recard (7)
J: Jamie Melham 58.5kg
T: Ciaron Maher |
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4th
2. Vinrock (3)
J: Mark Zahra 59.5kg
T: Matt Laurie |
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5th
7. Sonofkirk (1)
J: Jamie Mott 57kg
T: Anthony & Sam Freedman |
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6th
8. Express Class (4)
J: Patrick Moloney 57kg
T: Gerard Moloney |
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7th
5. Highvol (2)
J: Blake Shinn 58kg
T: Nick Ryan |
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8th
9. Duke Atreides (6)
J: Ethan Brown 57kg
T: Annabel & Rob Archibald |
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9th
10. Best Of The Best (5)
J: Ben Melham 57kg
T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr |
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