Zaaki blows away rivals in Doomben Cup to outline Cox Plate credentials
Son of Leroidesanimaux makes emphatic statement as veterans bid farewell in Group 1 swansong
In what was billed as the send off for several Group 1-winning legends of the turf, yesterday’s Doomben Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) farewell party was overshadowed by the emphatic statement made by the Annabel Neasham-trained Zaaki (6 g Leroidesanimaux – Kesara by Sadler’s Wells), with the race instead a launching pad for announcing his credentials for the spring features.
Indeed, yesterday’s ten-runner Doomben Cup field would not have looked out of place in a Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) or Caulfield Cup (Gr 1, 2400m), possessing six individual Group 1 winners, boasting an incredible 25 Group 1 wins between them, as well as the $5 million All-Star Mile (1600m) winner Mugatoo (Henrythenavigator).
Yet the old guard could not live with the vibrantly progressive Zaaki who, although himself a six-year-old, was making just his fourth start in Australia and romped away in a class of his own to a seven-length victory in the feature.
Trailing in his wake was the South Australian Oaks (Gr 1, 2000m) winner of last year, Toffee Tongue (Tavistock), who had a further two and a quarter lengths on last year’s Hobartville Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) winner Brandenburg (Burgundy).
Melody Belle (Commands), the 14-time Group 1-winning Queen of New Zealand, is the high-profile protagonist for next week’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, yet she could only muster a 12-length fifth, while the mercurial Nettoyer (Sebring) could not spring one last surprise, finishing just ahead of Melody Belle in fourth. Three-time Group 1 winner Humidor (Teofilo), who Chris Waller said on Friday would be retired following this final run at his 50th start, was seventh, 12 and a half lengths behind the runaway winner.
Avilius (Pivotal), who claimed three Group 1 successes in 2019 and last year’s Cox Plate winner Sir Dragonet (Camelot), were left scrambling to salvage pride, with the former having bled from both nostrils in finishing sixth, while Sir Dragonet was ninth.
And they were scrambling before the 600-metre pole.
Despite the extensive roll of honour list in opposition, Zaaki was well found by punters, sent off the $2.25 favourite to back up his eye-catching win in the Hollindale Stakes (Gr 2, 1800m) a fortnight earlier and, having tracked a strong pace set by Brandenburg in the early stages, Zaaki hit the front with 400 metres to run under James McDonald, the pair with five lengths on the rest of the field, and in a matter of strides the race was done.
The time, too, was impressive. With an eased-down Zaaki stopping the clock at 2.01.06 for the ten furlongs, the fastest time since the race was first run over this trip in 2012, and just a whisker away from the course record of 2.00.96, which he no doubt would have claimed had he been ridden out to the line.
Melbourne awaits and the middle distance crown of the Cox Plate.
“Wow, that was amazing,” said winning trainer Annabel Neasham in the aftermath of the race, which saw her claim a second Group 1 win after Mo’unga’s (Savabeel) Rosehill Guineas (Gr 1, 2000m) triumph.
“The Hollindale was easy to watch,” she continued. “I was stood with Carl Holt (the owner) at the 300 (metres) and I said ‘Don’t get excited yet’, and then we got to the furlong and I said ‘I think we’re alright here’.”
Zaaki, who takes his record to six wins from 25 starts, had his only other attempt at Group 1 level when eighth in the 2019 running of the Hong Kong Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) behind Admire Mars (Daiwa Major).
“I was bullish going into the Doncaster. I knew he was a very good horse and he just hasn’t taken a backward step. He’s run the 2000 pretty easily and we can’t wait for the Cox Plate.”
Zaaki becomes the third individual Group 1 winner for his late sire, the Brazilian-bred Leroidesanimaux (Candy Stripes), who is also responsible for outstanding Dubai World Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) and Kentucky Derby (Gr 1, 10f) winner Animal Kingdom.
Sourced out of the Tattersalls Horses in Training in October last year, Zaaki has made an immediate impact, finishing sixth in the Doncaster (Gr 1, 1600m) and second in the JRA Plate (Gr 3, 2000m) before his back-to-back wins.
He was purchased by Neasham in conjunction with Stuart Boman of Blandford Bloodstock for 150,000gns.
Out of Kesara (Sadler’s Wells), a two-time winner in France, Zaaki is a half-brother to four winners having been bred by Lanwades Stud’s Kirsten Rausing, who stood Leroidesanimaux until he died in 2016.
NZ$2,000 reject finds more than words in ANZ Bloodstock News The Roses
The burgeoning stud career of New Zealand champion first season sire Sweynesse (Lonhro) took in another milestone yesterday when the Novara Park stallion recorded his first stakes winner in Australia after Only Words (3 f Sweynesse – Jungle Pago by Darci Brahma) posted a taking victory in the ANZ Bloodstock News-sponsored The Roses (Gr 2, 2000m) at Doomben.
Travelling five-wide round the bed, Only Words, who passed in with a reserve of NZ$2,000 as a weanling and is out of a NZ$500 mare, put her Queensland Oaks (Gr 1, 2200m) credentials on display in defeating Bargain (Ocean Park) by a length and a quarter, with Charms Star (Per Incanto) running a further quarter length behind in third, as New Zealand breds claimed the first six placings home.
The dominance of the Kiwis was not merely restricted to the horseflesh, as New Zealander Chris Waller trained five of the first six finishers, and struck for his second win in the race after Youngstar (High Chaparral) in 2018.
Only Words sports the purple and white starred silks of Denise Martin’s Star Thoroughbreds, who now have strong contenders in both the Queensland classics, with recent Rosehill winner Achiever (Pride Of Dubai), booking his ticket north for next week’s Queensland Derby (Gr 1, 2400m).
Sweynesse, for who Only Words is one of three stakes winners, has made an impressive start to his career at stud, scoring with Taranaki 2YO Classic (Gr 3, 1200m) winner Bonita Aurelia on his way to claiming champion first season sire honours, with the stallion sitting second behind Contributer (High Chaparral) in this year’s second season sire standings, with Only Words and Brix adding further stakes wins, to indicate his progeny is only improving with time.
“Full credit to Only Words, Craig (Williams) gave her a lovely ride,” said trainer Chris Waller, who will bid for a fourth Queensland Oaks in the last seven runnings of the race, with any number of chances for the Group 1 feature won by Winx (Street Cry) in 2015.
“She was there at the 300-metre mark and gave a good solid kick, and that proved to be a winning one.”
Novara Park’s Luigi Muollo has retained ownership of the filly, who was passed in with a NZ$2,000 reserve as a weanling at the Karaka May Sale in 2018. Star Thoroughbreds purchased Only Words after the three-year-old landed the Wanganui Guineas (Listed, 1200m) in September last year and she now has four wins from 13 starts, with this her second win in Australia.
“We’ve joined up with a team from New Zealand, Luigi Muollo, he bred the horse, and the trainer from over there (in New Zealand) Clinton Isdale, he’s stayed in, so there’s a big group joining up,” Waller continued.
“I’m quite excited about Sweynesse. He seems a horse that raced well in Australia and he’s gone to New Zealand to stud, so it looks like he can throw a good horse.”
Only Words is the first and best of four named foals for her dam, Jungle Pago (Darci Brahma), with nine-time winner Torre Del Greco (Mettre En Jeu) the only other to salute the judge.
Jungle Pago, most recently a NZ$500 buy for Malcolm Boa from the Gavelhouse platform, is herself a winner over 1400 metres, and from an extensive Western Australian family, being the daughter of Karrakatta Plate (Gr 2, 1200m) winner Climb The Vine (Chanteclair).
Boa placed her in foal to Jon Snow (Iffraaj) last year.