Festival Sale Graduate Causes Upset in G3 Winter Stakes

31 July 2015

Karaka Festival Sale graduate Timy Tyler (NZ) (No Excuse Needed) caused an upset in Saturday’s Group 3 $100,000 eStar 118th Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton Park, winning at a price of $47.10.

TIMY TYLER 18.08.15 Winter Cup. RaceImagesChch (Resized)

Timy Tyler (NZ) triumphant in the Group 3 eStar 118th Winter Cup.
Photo courtesy of Race Images Christchurch.

Based in Riverton with owner and trainer Kelvin Tyler, Timy Tyler has now won five races and placed in a further 11 races from 29 starts. Despite starting at long odds, Timy Tyler had won the Amberley Cup two starts ago on a heavy track and had been a stakes performer last year, finishing second in the Listed Gore Guineas.

“I thought it was a huge run and I couldn’t be happier with his performance,” commented Tyler. “He worked really well leading up to the race, he had a good barrier draw and there was plenty of speed on, it was a really true-run race.

“He has come through the race better than I expected, he is very, very well, and so I am looking at the Classic on Saturday. I originally thought I might give him bit of a spell but we’ll wait and see.”

Ridden by South Island apprentice Jacob Lowry from barrier 5, Timy Tyler settled in fifth position in the early stages, in behind the leading pack that was headed by Illuminati (NZ) (Keeper).

Lowry presented Timy Tyler in the centre of the track as the field straightened for home as Illuminati pinched a break on the field. Finishing strongly, Timy Tyler powered to the lead in the final 100m to land victory by one-and-a-quarter-lengths over Illuminati, making up the Karaka quinella, with Danza Lad (NZ) (Woodbury Lady) in third.

Saturday’s victory was Timy Tyler’s first stakes win and has increased his earnings to $136,950 for Tyler who purchased him at the 2012 Karaka Festival Sale for just $3,000 from his breeder Totara Park Stud.

The son of No Excuse Needed is out of the unraced Pins mare Skite, a half-sister to stakes placegetter Tears ‘n’ Triumph (O’Reilly), runner-up in the Listed Kilmore Cup. Timy Tyler is closely related to Group 1 winners Take a Walk (Bakharoff) and Veloso (Zamazaan), winner of three Group 1 races.