Tycoon Star will have to overcome the outside draw if he is to give Lindsay Park a breakthrough win in the May 9 The Goodwood (G1) at Morphettville Racecourse, but Ben, Will, and J.D. Hayes are confident the colt has a genuine chance after his last-start Tobin Bronze Stakes (G2) victory.
Ben Hayes said the reapplication of visors had made a difference, while the ride from James McDonald had also played an important part in the performance.
"I think the visors did the trick," Hayes said. "It was a tough win also as he sat wide throughout and he won quite nicely, but I also got a big kick out of James riding his first winner in South Australia."
McDonald will not be aboard Saturday, with the jockey committed to the Hollindale Stakes (G2) on the Gold Coast, and Luke Currie takes over. Tycoon Star has also fared poorly at the draw, coming up with barrier 16 in the 1,200-meter (about 6-furlong) event, but Hayes said the 3-year-old had been kept back from the early autumn with this race in mind.
"An interesting stat about him, he's never not run in a stakes race," Hayes said. "He's been a very good horse, for a long time, running against the best and he's always been thereabouts. We purposely held him back from the early autumn to target this race and hopefully it can all align and he can run well."
