Forty minutes after Arrowfield Stud’s new recruit Written Tycoon celebrated the win of Odeum in the $1,000,000 Schweppes Thousand Guineas (1600m), Written Tycoon’s Ole Kirk proved unstoppable in the $2,000,000 Group 1 Neds Caulfield Guineas (1600m).
It was the third stakes win on the day for the former Woodside Park stallion after Dirty Work captured the Group II McCafe Schillaci Stakes (1100m) and the fourth for Willie Pike after Windstorm, Dirty Work and Arcadia Queen.
Given a ground-saving ride by Pike, Ole Kirk needed to go back inside a weakening Tagaloa before he was switched out to find clear air on the turn.
The team Hawkes-trained colt knuckled down to his task in the straight to run down Shadwell Stud’s Deep Field colt Aysar by a long-neck with Jameka’s brother Grandslam two lengths back in third.
“When I got on Tagaloa’s back I was pretty happy with myself, but he was gone before acceptances, so plans b - c and d all came out at once,” Pike said.
“It was my first ever sit on him and I’m so grateful for the support.
“We had to zig and zag a little bit, but I’m happy we got the job done.”
Wayne Hawkes admitted he was feeling the pressure.
“I never get nervous, but I did today,” he said.
“He’s the best three-year-old in the country now so it’s as simple as that. If they want to retire him, I’m happy with that.
“he was as tough a two-year-old that I’ve had in my hands and I’ve been lucky enough to have some good ones.
“He can go to the paddock and have a well-earned break now.
“Hats off to Willie he was like D. Oliver, he was cool he was calm he was relaxed, he was on the best horse and he got the job done.
“The boy’s at Gilgai will be going nuts. We make stallions and he was second top price at the Melbourne yearling sale.
“When his uncle’s All Too Hard and his aunty’s Black Caviar, I know what it’s like to be the son of - because I was a top price yearling but I couldn’t gallop at least Ole Kirk can.”
It was the second Group 1 for Ole Kirk having defeated his stablemate North Pacific the Golden Rose at Rosehill a fortnight back.
The winner of the Listed VRC Talindert Stakes on debut, Ole Kirk advances his record to 3 wins, 2 seconds and 2 thirds from 8 starts with earnings of $2,051,100.
In between he has placed in the Group 1 ATC Champagne Stakes, Group II VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes was fourth in the Group 1 ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes and was a fast-finishing third in the Listed Run to The Rose.
Ole Kirk was a $675,000 purchase by International Thoroughbred Solutions from the Gilgai Farm draft at the 2019 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale runs for a syndicate headed by Neil Werrett, in whose colours he runs, with his breeder Rick Jamieson of Gilgai Farm also retaining a share.
The son of Written Tycoon was the second-highest priced lot of the sale behind only his stablemate, the $800,000 Brazen Beau colt North Pacific.
Ole Kirk is the first foal of the unraced Bel Esprit mare Naturale who is a sister to the undefeated world champion Black Caviar and a half-sister to Vinery Stud’s 4-time Group 1 winner All Too Hard.
Naturale has a 2yo Not A Single Doubt filly named Gimmie Par but has missed in her last two seasons.
This was the second week in a fortnight that Written Tycoon has had a Group 1 double after Pippie captured the Group 1 Moir Stakes at Moonie Valley before Ole Kirk’s heroics in the Golden Rose.
