With most of the riders keen to get away from the fence in Saturday's $500,000 Listed Sportsbet Ballarat Cup (2000m), Luke Nolan was gifted a rails run on Zayydani, and the daughter of Savabeel did the rest.
In a driving finish, Zayydani defeated the topweight Yonkers (Medaglia d'Oro) by a half head with Vanna Girl (Husson), a short head back in third.
Trained by Ben and JD Hayes, Zayydani is in the form of her life.
She enjoyed a similar run when winning the Group II Matriarch Stakes at Flemington at her most recent start.
The 5yo Trelawney Stud homebred advances her record to six wins, two seconds, and three thirds from 18 starts with earnings of $729,725.
"I think it is full credit to Luke," Ben Hayes said.
"She didn't go around one horse again, and that gap she took up the straight was very tight.
"She just showed how tough she is, and she was so strong through the line.
"It’s such a big thrill. Well done to all the team. My brother in Hong Kong, JD - he’ll be thrilled.
“Mr Brightside is the pin-up boy of the stable, and she’s the pin-up girl.
“For her to come and win and give them (the owners) a win like that with good prize money, just shows what a champ she is.
“This is an add on. The Grand Final was the Matriarch, and she came through that so well we thought we would have a crack at the Ballarat Cup, and gee, she was impressive.”
Luke Nolen praised the mare for taking the gap.
“I had to tie the mirrors in a bit today because it was a bit tighter than it was at Flemington the other day,” Nolen said.
“Credit to Lindsay Park. They’ve kept her in great shape, and she peaked for that run at Flemington. But they kept her in the right form, we were afforded the right runs, and she was very good again.
“She enhances her pedigree again.”
A half-sister to Yulong Stud's Group 1 VRC Australian Guineas and Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes winner Grunt (O'Reilly) and stakes-placed Addison (Jimmy Choux), Zayydani is one of four winners from as many to race out of Ocean Park's half-sister Ruqqaya (Van Nistelrooy).
Bruce Perry Bloodstock (BAFNZ) went $500,000 to secure Ruqqaya's Tivaci colt out of the Trelawney draft at the 2020 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale. Named Gmork he is in the Danny O'Brien stable.
Ruqqaya has a 2yo Savabeel filly and was covered by Super Seth last spring after missing to Tivaci in 2019.
