Tuchel extended his excellent run of form this preparation when he added a Group 3 success to his record in the Premier Plate over 1800 metres at Sha Tin on Sunday evening.
The four-year-old son of Westbury Stud’s Redwood, who was also represented by impressive Caulfield winner St Lawrence, claimed top honours in the final Group event of the Hong Kong season for trainer John Size and jockey Zac Purton.
Bred by Gerry Harvey, Tuchel has collected a brace of wins and three placings, including a runner-up finish in the Hong Kong Derby, from his last five appearances.
He broke well from the barrier in the Premier Plate to sit close to the pace before picking up ground three wide 600 metres from home.
Tuchel strode to the front early in the run home and held a good gallop to score by half a-length.
“He has been terrific all season. He’s had some hard runs, he’s turned up and continues to get better and John has done a great job with him. It’s been a nice day,” Purton told the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
“I think that (the slow pace) helped him as he’s a little suspect at the 1800 metres and he had the weight advantage against the others. He’s got a good turn of foot so that played into our hands.”
Size and Purton combined for a hat-trick of winners on the card with the former now having a season’s tally of 71 and nine clear in his charge for the Trainers’ Premiership while Purton has 160 victories and assured of a sixth jockeys’ title to equal Tony Cruz’s record haul.
“It’s good to be held in any company with him,” Purton said.
“He’s certainly a legend and with every championship you’re faced with different obstacles and none of them are ever easy and I appreciate this one as much as the others.”
Tuchel was purchased out of Westbury’s draft at Karaka for $130,000 by the Hong Kong-based Simple Bloodstock Services and is a son of the Testa Rossa mare Trista Rossa.
She is a daughter of Sir Tristram’s stakes-winning daughter Altrista and has a yearling sister to Tuchel and is back in foal to Redwood.