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Trip to the Gold Coast awaits Zip Lock after dominant B.J. McLachlan victory
Daniel Harrold
ANZ News
Zip Lock (Hellbent) will bid to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Storm Boy (Justify), Coolangatta (Written Tycoon) and Unencumbered (Testa Rossa) by landing next month’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) following a rousing success in Saturday’s B.J. McLachlan Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) at Eagle Farm.
The Chris and Corey Munce-trained colt stretched his unbeaten tally to two with success in the Group 3 feature, a race that has become a key trial for January’s $3 million Restricted Listed contest.
Having shown plenty of promise prior to his debut with a runner-up finish in an 850-metre trial at Doomben on November 6, Zip Lock then took to the track for the first time on race day when downing subsequent Phelan Ready 2YO (Listed, 1110m) scorer Itchintogo (Sun City) by 1.6 lengths back at Doomben over 1200 metres.
Another tick-over trial came on December 15, before the son of Hellbent (I Am Invincible) lined up in Saturday’s feature as a $3.25 second-elect behind November’s Maribyrnong Plate (Gr 3, 1000m) winner Tornado Valley (Too Darn Hot) ($1.80).
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Ridden by Justin Huxtable for the first time, Zip Lock travelled well into the home straight and, having moved up on the outer of his rivals with 400 metres to go, shot to the front with 300 metres left to run.
Kept up to his work by Huxtable and the chasing Ciaron Maher-trained Tornado Valley, the colt was always holding the gallant runner-up and again scored by a 1.6-length margin.
There was a further 1.9 lengths back to $101 chance Leaves Of Lorien (Cool Aza Beel) in third place.
“He has that little bit of class about him,” Chris Munce said. “I think today was good and it was good for Justin. He's been with our stable a long time. He's a tall lad, puts in a lot of work, and he doesn't ride too many bad ones, so it’s nice to be able to give him a ride like this.
“All credit to the horse too – he had that freshen-up, then one soft little trial the other day and he improved enormously off it. So obviously now we probably head to the [Magic] Millions.”
Zip Lock now finds himself on the third line of betting for the 2YO Classic at $6, behind impressive debut Randwick winner Warwoven (Sword Of State) at $3.20 and Magic Millions The Debut 2YO (1000m) scorer Lumbini (Russian Revolution) who is at $4.40.
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Munce revealed that next month’s contest had not been at the forefront of his mind for Zip Lock, and that his plan was to let the colt tell him whether to head for the Gold Coast.
“I never really put emphasis on the Magic Millions for him as I had a lot of time for him as I think he's going to make a lovely three-year-old,” the co-trainer added.
“It [Magic Millions 2YO Classic] was never going to be the be all and end all, but look, obviously now, the way he went…and he's thriving in the stable, so of course we’ll head there.
“He's a big strong horse and I think he’ll get to seven furlongs [1400m] or a mile later on as he matures. He's a beautiful animal.”
Bred and raised at Yarraman Park, Zip Lock was a $160,000 purchase for Munce Racing and Arthur Hoyeau out of Yarraman's 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft.
He is the best of three winners from as many foals out of the winning Hinchinbrook (Fastnet Rock) mare Honolulu Lass, herself a half-sister to Group 3 winner Debellatio (Smart Missile) and stakes winner Devoirs (Dehere) being out of the Group 2-winning mare Velasco (Flying Spur).
Honolulu Lass died at the start of this year and her final foal is a yearling colt by Brave Smash (Tosen Phantom) that will be offered by Yarraman Park as Lot 69 at Inglis Classic.
Zip Lock was providing Yarraman Park’s Hellbent with his tenth individual stakes winner. The son of I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) stood the 2025 breeding season at an unchanged fee of $38,500 (inc GST).
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Kingswood scores crowning glory in Zabeel Classic
NZ Racing Desk
It was a case of mission accomplished for Australian trainer Gavin Bedggood at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.
The Cranbourne horseman had previously competed at the Auckland track as a jumps jockey a decade ago and he eyed a return across the Tasman this week with his well-bred Group 3 winner Kingswood (Roaring Lion).
With a view towards securing his future stud career, Bedggood was in search of an all-important elite-level victory, and he felt the Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (Gr 1, 2000m) presented as the perfect opportunity.
Prior to the race, Bedggood gave jockey Rory Hutchings instructions to be on pace, however, Kingswood was slow away and Bedggood thought the race was over from the start.
However, Hutchings was able to work his charge off the fence down the back straight, and off a sedate pace he quickly launched Kingswood three-wide to loop the field and serve it up to his rivals.
Hutchings caught his competitors off guard and quickly created a two-length buffer, which he continued to extend. Several of his more favoured rivals rallied late, but Hutchings’ masterful move proved the telling of the race, and Kingswood scored by 1.5 lengths over Jaarffi (Iffraaj), with a further half-length back to Legarto (Proisir) in third.
Hutchings admitted to being in a spot of bother when their race plan was scuppered at the start, but his improvised plan B more than made up for it.
“We didn’t begin that well,” he said. “It wasn’t in our plan book to be where we were. They just kept getting slower and slower up the hill and I thought we were not going to be able to peg back horses like El Vencedor and Legarto that were a lot closer to the speed running at three-quarter pace mid-stage.
“When I went, I made sure I went really quick. I had a lap full of horse when I did it and I knew I caught them napping. He went from 0 to 100 in one stride and he sustained that all the way to the winning post. That is a trait of a very good horse.”
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The victory was a sentimental one for Hutchings, who had won his first elite-level victory in the race 11 years ago aboard the Graeme and Debbie Rogerson-trained Soriano (Savabeel), and fate led to his ride in this year’s edition.
“A couple of weeks ago I didn’t have a ride in this race,” he said. “Through John Allen’s suspension I was able to pick up this horse. It’s funny how this game works.”
Bedggood was rapt with Hutchings’ race-winning tactics, with the trainer admitting he had thought it was game over shortly after the start.
“100 metres after the start I thought we were cast,” he said. “We weren’t where we wanted to be, they didn’t go quick. Watching the race unfold I was working out how I was going to explain this, we were going to look like mugs.
“Fair play to Rory, what a ride. It was a ballsy ride to take off like he did. I just said the horse needed to be in a spot where he needs to build his revs. He is not a sit and sprint horse, and it was well executed.
“He had to do something because where he was, riding for luck wasn’t an option. It wasn’t going to suit the horse the way the race was panning out. Full credit to him, it was the difference between winning and getting beaten.”
The victory also vindicated Bedggood’s decision to campaign in New Zealand, and he said he came under plenty of scrutiny in the lead-up to the race.
“Listening to the radio and watching the TV, there were plenty of knockers,” he said. “I am a realist, he is not top echelon in Melbourne, but he is a bloody good B-grader and I think on his day in Melbourne he would be competitive in an Australian Cup. It is good to be vindicated, and it makes the decision worthwhile coming over.”
Kingswood will now remain in New Zealand where Bedggood is keen to tackle further Group 1 targets, and he is hoping Friday’s performance has grabbed the attention of New Zealand stud masters.
“He can have a week in the paddock and can probably hang around for the Herbie Dyke and Bonecrusher now I think,” he said.
Well Written extends unbeaten run in Auckland Guineas
The Cambridge horseman was lining up his unbeaten filly Well Written (Written Tycoon) in the Jimmy Schick Shaw's Auckland Guineas (Gr 2, 1400m), and he knew the well-supported filly would be vulnerable fresh-up.
The daughter of Written Tycoon (Iglesia) has made waves since winning on debut at Ellerslie in September, going on to win the Soliloquy Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) in eye-catching fashion, attracting the attention of plenty of prospective buyers in the process.
Yulong Investments subsequently purchased into the filly and she carried their green silks to victory in the New Zealand 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) at Riccarton last month.
That performance attracted the attention of NZB Kiwi (Listed, 1500m) slot holders and a deal was brokered with Entain New Zealand to represent their TAB slot in the $4 million feature.
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With his filly being the talk of New Zealand racing, Marsh had the weight of expectation on his shoulders heading into Friday’s feature, with punters backing Well Written into $1.30 favouritism, and she didn’t do anything to allay his nerves when she was fractious behind the barriers.
However, she loaded up and jumped away well under Matthew Cartwright, who settled his charge in the one-one behind Affirmative Action (Yes Yes Yes), while jockey Opie Bosson made a beeline for the front and set the pace throughout.
He Who Dares (Snitzel) looked full of running at the turn, kicking clear of his rivals, and he was maintaining that advantage. However, with 200 metres to go, Cartwright pushed the go button on his filly and she started to take chase, firstly reeling in Affirmative Action before grabbing He Who Dares on the line to win by 0.3 lengths with a further 1.2 lengths back to the third.
“I haven’t felt like that before a race for a long time,” a relieved Marsh said.
“I have been feeling sick all week about it. We haven’t got her tuned up. I knew today she would be vulnerable. We certainly didn’t want to be coming here and getting beaten.
“I am just proud of her and I thought Matt did a great job. I said to him to nurse her until the last little bit, don’t go for her too early, and he did exactly that.
“It was a little bit hairy for a bit, but she knows where the line is. I knew with her condition she would probably come to the end of it in that last little bit, hence why I said to Matt to ride her with patience, don’t go early, and he gave her another ten out of ten ride.
“I think she is one out of the box, she is brilliant. I felt a bit of pressure today, but I am certainly relieved now, and it makes it all worthwhile.”
Marsh said it was also an honour to take out a race named after Windsor Park Stud principals Rodney and Gina Schick’s late son.
“It is special winning that race, the Jimmy Schick. I know Rod and Gina will be watching at home. It is a very hard time for the family,” Marsh said.
“It is pretty special for us. We are all very close in Cambridge and to win that race is great.”
Cartwright was also rapt with Well Written’s performance and he is now looking forward to tackling some rich targets aboard her, with the filly heading the TAB’s futures market for both the TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (RL, 1600m) and NZB Kiwi, at $1.40 and $1.90 respectively.
“Coming to the last 100 metres I expected her to kick a little bit better but today is not her grand final,” he said. “She is a little bit underdone but still got the job done.
“She is such an exciting filly and she has put her head out when it counts. It is just a privilege to ride her.”
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