Keeping a low profile since his second behind to Trekking in the Stradbroke Handicap 12 months ago, the Toby and Trent Edmonds-trained Written Tycoon gelding Tyzone went one better in the Group 1 contest over 1400 metres at Eagle farm on Saturday.
With Robbie Fradd in the saddle, Tyzone came with a barnstorming finish down the outside of the track to defeat the 4yo Zoustar mare Madam Rouge by a head with a long-head back to Nicconi gelding Niccanova in third ahead of the 4yo Lope de Vega gelding Vega One coming from last to finish fourth.
"I know Toby and Trent (Edmonds) were on a warpath to win this race with this horse and when a plan comes together to win a Stradbroke, the pinnacle of Queensland racing that's pretty special, I'm so thankful to be involved," Fradd said.
"We'd been discussing for months how to get him peaking for this day and we managed to pull it off."
"I wasn't too concerned about being wide he's used to it out there and we were always going to have to go there from the gate, still a mighty effort from the horse."
"i wanted a trail into the race but I wasn't getting it from the horses in front of me, I knew how fit my horse was so I took off early got him to the outside and he did the rest."
"At the 150 metres was when I thought I had the race and what a buzz to win this race that looked like it might not even go ahead if not for the government and Racing Queensland."
Trent Edmonds said it was a special moment to share his first Group 1 with his dad Toby but feared that it might have been a replay of last year.
"He was coming off the corner pretty strong and all I could think of was that this is a replay of last year, but this time he was travelling even better, what an effort to get there I'm lost for words,” Trent Edmonds said.
"From the time we ran second last year we dedicated ourselves to preparing him to come back this year and go one better, for everything to fall into place and for the horse to do what he did today is just amazing.
"Horses simply don't do what he does. He's a winning machine at the highest level and he does it the tough way as well.
"I've only jumped on the training wagon with dad in the last year and I am lucky enough to share in it, which makes me quite emotional thinking of all the work dad has done with this horse over the years and to win a Stradbroke together is something I'll never forget."
Owned by Tom Hedley, the Chairman of the Cairns Jockey Club, Tyzone advances his record to 17 wins, 4 seconds and 3 thirds from 41 starts with earnings of $1,236,500.
Purchased for $60,000 at the 2015 Magic Millions Gold Coast 2YOs in Training Sale, Tyzone is the best of three winners from four to race out of the winning Hussonet (USA) mare Rezonet who is a half-sister to the stakes-placed Spirited Eagle (Not a Single Doubt) and a daughter of the Moonee Valley winner Rezidencia (Carnegie) who is a half-sister to Group II winner Society Beau and Listed winner Sandblaster.
Rezonet died in July last year. Her final foal is a yearling filly by Winning Rupert who was consigned by Waylon J Stud to the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale, where she was purchased by Mishani Enterprises for $38,000.
The win of Tyzone gave the former Arrowfield Stud and Cornerstone Stud resident Hussonet (USA) the honour of siring the dams of the two Group 1 features at Eagle farm following the win of Rothfire in the JJ Atkins.
Sadly, neither Hussonet (USA) nor the dams of Rothfire and Tyzone are still with us.
Tyzone becomes the ninth Group 1 winner for Written Tycoon who makes his debut at Arrowfield Stud this year at a fee of $77,000.
