Saturday's Group III Henley Homes Merson Cooper Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield is the seventh stakes race of the season for the 2-year-old and presents a golden opportunity for the first dual stakes winner.
The Ben, Will, and JD Hayes-trained Tycoon Star won the Group III Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington on November 5 and is the only runner with race experience.
Rosemont Stud is represented by three runners, two debutants by Too Darn Hot (GB), the homebreds Rosangela and the $500,000 Magic Millions purchase Maldini, and the Starspangledbanner filly Palm Angel.
Maldini looks to complete a memorable month for his family. Out of the winning Snitzel mare Moldova, Maldini is a half-brother to Captured By Love (Written Tycoon), which won the New Zealand One Thousand Guineas on November 16. Moldova's half-brother Oughton won the Listed Qld Tatt's Recognition Stakes at Doomben on Wednesday, while three-quarter sister La Girl is the dam of the 2-year-old Spirit Of Boom La Bella Boom, who broke her maiden earlier in the day at Doomben.
With Hawkes Racing electing to run Gallo Nero at Rosehill, Wootton Bassett (GB) will rely on the Ciaron Maher-trained filly Wiltshire Square.
A homebred for her trainer, Wiltshire Square is the first foal of the Shamus Award mare Sausedge, a talented performer for Matthew Dale, winning six and placing in five of her 21 starts.
A colt well-fancied in betting is the Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald-trained Usain Boss. A $340,000 Magic Millions yearling, the son of Street Boss (USA) was a wide-margin winner of a jumpout at Pakenham on November 12.
In addition to Tycoon Star, Yulong has the $150,000 Inglis Premier yearling Imzada. The daughter of Alabama Express is a half-sister to Group III ATC Baillieu Handicap winner Irukandji.
Still, it's hard to go past Tycoon Star, who made a winning debut in the Group III Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day.
A $350,000 purchase for Yu Long Investments when offered by Milburn Creek Thoroughbreds at the National Weanling Sale, Tycoon Star was sold to Lindsay Park Racing for $400,000 when consigned by Yulong to the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Bred by Sheriff Iskander, the son of Written Tycoon is the first foal of the hard-knocking racemare Miss Iano (Equiano), who won eight and placed in seven of 42 starts, including a third behind Tofane and Pippie in the Group III Furphy Sprint.
Miss Iano's dam Miss Panama (Not A Single Doubt) is a half-sister to the stakes-winner Hidden Wonder (Danzero) out of the stakes-placed Last Tycoon (IRE) mare Princess Shorna, a half-sister to Group 1 Caulfield Guineas winner Kenwood Melody (Royal Academy).
Princess Shorna's granddam Jewel Bronze is a half-sister to one of the all-time greats, Tobin Bronze.
The son of Arctic Explorer won the 1965 Victoria Derby. As a 4-year-old he rattled off consecutive wins in the Liston Stakes, Craiglee Stakes, Underwood Stakes, Turnbull Stakes. After finishing sixth in Galilee's Caufield Cup, he returned to winning ways in the W.S. Cox Plate and Mackinnon Stakes. He defeated Cabochon in the Doncaster Handicap carrying 9st 5lb (59.5 kg). Tobin Bronze won the 1967 Caulfield Cup with 9st 10lb (61.5kg), conceding the runner-up, Melbourne Cup winner, Red Handed over a stone.
In his final Australian appearance before embarking to America, the striking chestnut added a second W.S. Cox Plate.
Lime Country Thoroughbreds consigns Miss Iano's Home Affairs colt to the 2025 Magic Millions Yearling Sale. James Bester Bloodstock pinhooked the colt for $280,000 at the 2024 Gold Coast National Weanling Sale.
Purchased for $310,000 by the Yulong-inspired Panthalassa Syndicate at the 2024 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, Miss Iano foaled a brother to Tycoon Star on October 26.
