During his three-year-old career, there was no doubt that Talented Tony K (Traditional – Ocean Liner) exhibited the traits of a sprinter.

He was effective against his age group peers going the longer distances, winning the 2,000 Guineas (eight furlongs) and the Governor’s Cup (10 furlongs). He competed well in the Derby and St Leger but was outdone by Relampago. Talented Tony K was always seen as a sprinter and his forays in the top classes bore out this analysis, as since winning the Governor’s Cup in May of last year, Talented Tony K has been winless.

The long wait for a re-entry into the winners’ enclosure finally happened and when it did, it came in a course-record-equalling time going 1,000 metres straight in an Overnight Allowance event on Saturday.

Ridden by Shane Ellis, Talented Tony K, the 1-9 favourite in a field of seven three-year-olds and upward horses, won by three-and-three-quarter lengths covering the distance in 0:56:1 seconds. The clocking tied the mark of Musical Maestro’s set on November 22, 2006, which Minister Of Justice equalled on November 22, 2008.

“The win by Talented Tony K was expected on Saturday as he worked really well coming into the contest. He worked 57 seconds in his exercise gallop, so I expected that he would run close to that time in the actual race. Equalling the record is quite significant and I am proud of him…well done, and as his name states, he is talented. Talented Tony K’s next assignment will be another five straight race,” Kirlew told the Complete Racing Guide.