Written by Paul Vettise
Tycoon Bec (Written Tycoon) proved a handful in her early days and, as a result, got herself into strife and resulting injuries delayed her debut, but the mare has quickly made up for lost time to showcase her talent.
The well-related 4-year-old made a successful debut in early December and followed up with further success at Moonee Valley before a last-start winning performance at Flemington maintained the unbeaten start to her career.
Trainer Matt Cumani can now thankfully look back at Tycoon Bec’s early antics and see the setbacks she suffered as a blessing in disguise and enforced patient handling has been to the talented chestnut’s benefit.
“She’s one that needed time anyway and she was very tricky early days and was difficult to ride and train,” the Ballarat conditioner told TDN AusNZ from the Gold Coast, where he will be active at this week’s Magic Millions Yearling Sale.
“Because of that, she got herself into trouble on two occasions. She would reverse into other horses or shoot forward into other horses and as a result she got kicked twice.
“On one occasion she got a broken rib and on another got a leg injury. They both held her back, but she was always going to be a slow developer. It did give us good excuses to pull up on her at different stages.”
“On one occasion she got a broken rib and on another got a leg injury.” – Matt Cumani
Tycoon Bec, whose Moonee Valley success marked Cumani’s 200th training success, is likely to make one more appearance this campaign.
“I’ve been amazed how she has matured this last preparation and really come on. With every race she is more and more relaxed and been more professional," he said. “If she keeps going that way she has a very bright future.
“My idea was to go for the Listed Birthday Cup at Morphettville in four weeks’ time, which would be a nice way to finish off the prep and get some black type,” Cumani said.
Matt Cumani
“The owner isn’t in too much of a rush to get it (black type) and is happy to wait and quite enjoys seeing his horses run at Flemington. He’s keen to have a look at a BM84 the same day over 2000 metres.
“She may not get into that, but if she does, he quite enjoys using apprentices and giving them a chance. She’d probably run with 51kg and I’m more than happy to go either way and try for black type now or later.
“After that we’ll probably give her a nice, long break over the first part of the winter and then bring her back for a spring campaign.”
Teamwork behind purchase
The major owner in Tycoon Bec is Western Australian enthusiast Peter Diamond, who signed the $140,000 ticket for her with Cumani and Boomer Bloodstock at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale where she was put through the ring by breeder Glenlogan Park.
She is a daughter of Morganza (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}), a 2000 metre winner in France, and a half-sister to the G2 Curragh Blandford S. winner Monturani (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}).
They are out of the Listed Newbury Fillies’ Trial S. winner Mezzogiorno (GB) (Unfuwain {USA}), who also placed at Group 1 level in the English and Yorkshire Oaks, and the family of dual Group 2 winner and former champion Italian 3-year-old Anda Muchacho (Ire) (Helmet).
Tycoon Bec as a yearling
“It’s a great pedigree and a good example that if you pick your way through the Easter catalogue you can find horses like her. While $140,000 is a lot of money by any standards, when you look at the average for major sales in Australia it’s not really that much,” Cumani said.
“It was a team buy between Peter, Craig Rounsefell and myself. We found this horse and she was right up my alley in terms of her movement and type and Craig was very keen on the pedigree, and Peter also liked her.
“Peter has just started breeding and this one will be a nice addition to the broodmare band going forward.”
