Woodside Park champion Written Tycoon can join a select group of sires if his colt Despatch wins the $2 million Magic Millions Classic in January.

Despatch staked his claim with a determined victory in Saturday’s Magic Millions Clockwise Classic (1000m) at Ballarat.  The Tony McEvoy-trained youngster faced the breeze outside the leader and then dug deep to hold out stablemate Nistaan (Nicconi) by a short-head.

Written Tycoon’s champion colt Capitalist won last year’s rich juvenile sprint at the Gold Coast and a running double will see him join Zoffany (USA), General Nediym and More Than Ready (USA) as the only sires with multiple winners in the 30-year history of the 2YO Classic.

Stable foreman Michael Shepherdson described winner as a very exciting type.  “We had this race in mind to give him (clockwise) experience and to earn the prizemoney.  Having that in the bank nearly guarantees a start at the Gold Coast.”

Despatch is Written Tycoon’s first winner conceived at Woodside Park.  The Tylden nursery bred and sold him for $40,000 at the 2015 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale where he was knocked down to Paul and Amanda Thompson.

They later pin-hooked him for a $195,000 return at this year’s Adelaide Magic Millions.  He is the final foal of Zoccoletta (Fasliyev), a daughter of Group 3 Fernhill Stakes winner Vita (Thunder Gulch).

Winning jockey Luke Nolen was impressed with Despatch.  “He lost his way when he got to the front.  But it was his first time at the races and going that way, it was a good effort.”

Written Tycoon was fully booked at Woodside for a $49,500 (inc gst) fee this year.  He was a runaway winner of the 2015-16 Victorian sires’ premiership and is setting the pace again this season with 52 individual winners of $2.23 million.

DESPATCH