Tycoon Star salutes in the 2025 McNeil Stakes

Tycoon Star confirmed himself as a spring contender with a strong win in Saturday’s Group 3 McNeil Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield for the Lindsay Park team of Ben, Will and JD Hayes.

Sent out $4.80, the colt settled near the speed under Michael Dee before striding clear for a 1-¾ length success over McGaw ($6), with Jimmy Recard ($4) in third. The result came two weeks after his second placing in the Vain Stakes (1100m).

Ben Hayes said the colt’s toughness was the difference this time around. “The visors helped, but personally I think it was fitness,” Hayes said. “He loomed up last start to win and today, with that run under the belt, two weeks between runs, he was tough all-the-way through the line.”

The Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington is the major goal later in spring. “He looks sharp and he’s already a winner down the straight,” Hayes said. “We’ve got lots of options, but I’d like to talk to Mickey (Dee) and the owners… we could see him down the straight next start.”

Dee said he wanted to avoid giving the colt too much to do. “He’s probably not best ridden the way I rode him, but it was the way it panned out,” Dee explained. “I thought McGaw 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.”

The rider added that Tycoon Star was still on the way up. “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 boys are really happy with how he paraded today… he’s going to improve again out of this.”