Racing
Tulloch Lodge sets spring goals for promising Duke
Adrian Bott believes debut winner Duke Of Arrakis will be a horse to follow next season.
He is in a different mould to his half-brother Shangri La Express, but Duke Of Arrakis is showing a similar amount of promise to start his career with a debut win on Randwick's Kensington track.
Shangri La Express won his first two starts as a spring two-year-old and went on to place in the 2024 Todman Stakes (1200m) and while Duke Of Arrakis has been slower to mature, co-trainer Adrian Bott believes he is no less talented.
"His half relation showed a little bit more precocity than what he has. Physically, he has still got a bit of maturing to do," Bott said.
"He will continue to fill out and he is going to be a much better three-year-old so I don't think we will push too far into a winter campaign.
"I just wanted to do enough to get him seasoned because I think there are some big races for him in the spring."
Ridden by Regan Bayliss, Duke Of Arrakis ($12) jumped smartly before settling behind the speed but the best part of his race was the final 200m when he surged through a narrow gap to score convincingly.
Bott expected the Written Tycoon colt to relish further than the 1150m of Wednesday's TAB Handicap and said the fact he got the job done over an unsuitable trip reflected his quality.
"I think he's going to be most effective once we can get him to that 1400, 1600-metre range," he said.
"That's the exciting part. He has shown class today to win in that fashion.
"We will see what's around for him now, whether there is another run we can give him before we tip him out.
"But he has got a lovely profile and he'll keep improving every time he steps out."
Meanwhile, Tympanist rounded out his career on a winning note in the Hyland Race Colours Handicap (2400m), fittingly on the Kensington circuit where he recorded six of his seven wins.
Trainer David Payne said the victory wouldn't sway them to reconsider retirement as the horse had done a marvellous job, accruing more than $380,000 in prizemoney from 52 starts.
"He's done enough for us. You can't keep going, you don't want blood out of a stone," Payne said.
"He is the most beautiful horse. He's a gentle giant. Nothing fazes him, he is kind, I want him to go to a good home."
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