Tough win for Snitzel's Zennzella in Wakeful Stakes

Mark Smith - Saturday October 29

Carrying the colours sported by Hitotsu in last year’s Victoria Derby, the Snitzel filly Zennzella was all courage in Saturday’s Group II Racing and Sports Wakeful Stakes (2000m) at Flemington.

Tough win (image Grant Courtney)

Ridden by James McDonald for Ciaron Maher and David Eustice, Zennzella took up a forward position from an outside barrier. Hitting the front a long way out, the daughter of Snitzel kept up a relentless gallop to defeat the American Pharoah (USA) filly Pavitra by a long neck with two lengths back to the Deep Impact (JPN) filly As Times Goes by in third.

The Toronado (IRE) filly Queen Air put in a fine Victoria oaks trial with a fast-finishing fourth.

Zennzella broke her maiden at her most recent start with a four and three-quarter length romp over 1600m on the Pakenham Synthetic.

David Eustice said they will wait before committing to a start in the Oaks.

“We’ve always felt she’s a nice filly, we’ve just been very patient with her,” Eustice said.

“We were keen not to kick her off on heavy tracks, so we had to bite the bullet and run on the synthetic, she won really well, and she just thrived from that run so we came here today quite confident.

Will she back up in the Oaks (image Grant Courtney)

“James gave her the most beautiful ride, he waited and waited, and conserved energy and we said to him beforehand that’d be the key, just how seasoned is she so I thought she was very good, and he rode her extremely well.”

McDonald said it was a gutsy performance.

Advertisement

“She’s a beautiful big filly, great constitution never spends a penny before the race and even in the race,” McDonald said.

“That was a good, tough effort. I thought she was entitled to be beaten on the line, and she pulled out all the stops. It wasn’t really the position I wanted to be in to be fair, the leader was dropping off but I didn’t want to alter her momentum flowing into the straight, but she sustained a good gallop and it was a good job.”

Bred by Gerry Harvey, Zennzella was a $350,000 purchase for Kennewell Racing/Group 1 Bloodstock (FBAA) at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

She had two starts for Lloyd Kennewell before being transferred.

Zennzella is the first live foal of the triple Group III winning Zenno Rob Roy (JPN) mare Zennisto who was a $200,000 purchase for Baramul Stud at the 2018 National Broodmare Sale.

Zennisto has a yearling brother Zennzella and is back in foal to Snitzel.

Zennzella is the 128th stakes-winner for Arrowfield Stud’s champion Snitzel.

Advertisment

Race Result - Racing And Sports Wakeful Stks Gr2 2000m

Flemington Track: Soft(7) Time: 2:04.75
1
Zennzella
- 3f Snitzel (AUS) x Zennista (NZ) (Zenno Rob Roy (JPN))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: J B Mc Donald 55
MM Gold Coast Yearling Sale $0
Seller: Westbury Stud Ltd, Karaka, NZ (As Agent)
Buyer: Withdrawn
2
0.4
Pavitra
- 3f American Pharoah (USA) x Gypsy Robin (USA) (Daaher (CAN))
Tnr: Richard & Will Freedman Rdr: J Parr 55
3
2.4
As Time Goes By
- 3f Deep Impact (JPN) x A Time For Julia (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: A & S Freedman Rdr: B Melham 55
4
2.6
Queen Air
- 3f Toronado (IRE) x Rain Cloud (AUS) (Domesday (AUS))
Tnr: L Smith Rdr: B Mc Dougall 55
5
3.6
Let'sbefrankbaby
- 3f Frankel (GB) x Baby Pink (IRE) (Invincible Spirit (IRE))
Tnr: R Griffiths & M De Kock Rdr: Lachlan King 55
6
4.6
Jenny Jerome
- 3f Churchill (IRE) x Tortoni (AUS) (Strategic (AUS))
Tnr: Patrick Payne Rdr: Damian Lane 55
7
5.3
Grey Northern
- 3f Shocking (AUS) x Bluegrass (AUS) (Fasliyev (USA))
Tnr: Simon Zahra Rdr: Damien Thornton 55
8
5.4
Whakamana
- 3f Sacred Falls (NZ) x Divine Shiva (NZ) (No Excuse Needed (GB))
Tnr: T Busuttin & N Young Rdr: Jye McNeil 55
9
5.5
Makrana
- 3f Pierro (AUS) x Gunawati (AUS) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: Mark & Levi Kavanagh Rdr: M J Dee 55
10
8.0
So Dazzling
- 3f So You Think (NZ) x Dazzling Lady (NZ) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: J G Sargent Rdr: D Oliver 55
11
10.0
La Gioia
- 3f Pierro (AUS) x Tears Of Joy (AUS) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: Jason Warren Rdr: D W Stackhouse 55
12
10.2
Artocracy
- 3f Flying Artie (AUS) x Fitocracy (AUS) (Denman (AUS))
Tnr: Peter Lafferty Rdr: D Yendall 55
13
11.0
Uptick
- 3f Pierro (AUS) x Rebound (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: J A O'Shea Rdr: C Schofield 55
14
11.3
Barbwire Baby
- 3f Jimmy Creed (USA) x Keep The Klass (NZ) (Keeper (AUS))
Tnr: S R Fisher Rdr: Teodore Nugent 55
15
23.3
Thinking Rain
- 3f So You Think (NZ) x Cleo's Raine (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: G Portelli Rdr: John Allen 55
More Reading...
Another Day, Another Stakes-Winner for Wootton Bassett
A homebred for Marc Chan, quality Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Green Impact closed out his juvenile season winning the Group II Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown and he bounced back into the winner’s list at the same venue overnight.
Sires With Winners - Thursday June 5
Here is the full list of 36 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
A Passion That Lasts a Lifetime
A passion for pedigrees and thoroughbreds is often one that lasts a lifetime and so it has been for one of the co-breeders of Bravery, who contacted me this week following our earlier and very well read story on current 2YO star Cool Archie.
North Pacific 2YO Ready to Win
Byerley Park trainer Steven Cole will head to Ellerslie with a quartet of runners on Saturday, and he is particularly upbeat about the chances of Pacific Breeze in the Network Visuals 1200.
New Winner for Bivouac
Godolphin have been  enjoying a winning run with their late season juveniles and it continued at Geelong on Thursday where Bivouac gelding Loving opened his account.
SWs in foal to Wootton Bassett and Snitzel headline the June (Early) Online Sale
Stakes winners in foal to Wootton Bassett and Snitzel, along with a significant number of young, well-bred racing and breeding prospects headline another intriguing catalogue for the Inglis Digital June (Early) Online Sale.
Inglis Ready 2 Race Entries Open
Entries for the Inglis Ready2Race Sale – Australasia’s most progressive 2YO Sale – are now open.
Sires With Winners - Friday June 6
Here is the full list of 31 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
There were six heats for juveniles at Rosehill on Friday that featured some interesting winners including stakes-placed filly Horseshoe Hill, a couple of unraced youngsters by Zoustar and the highest priced yearling by Prague.
Breeding To Win - 2025 G1 Queensland Oaks
Unbeaten this preparation, Philia will be looking to emulate her half-sister Duais in winning the $1million Group I BRC Queensland Oaks (2200m) on Saturday, but a swarm of up and comers are nipping at her heels, so who are they?