Bargain Kiwi Filly Launches VRC Oaks Bid

Media Release - Thursday November 2

Bargain buy Zambezi Khan was set for the Melbourne spring carnival months ago and her lead-up form will now see the daughter of Mongolian Khan take on Australia’s best fillies.

Zambezi Khan will contest the Gr.2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)

She will step out in Saturday’s Gr.2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) and, all going well, the Guy Lowry-trained representative will return to Flemington next Thursday for the Gr.1 Kennedy Oaks (2500m).

“It’s been the plan since January to have her there, it’s been the goal since she ran fifth in the Wellesley Stakes (Listed, 1100m),” Lowry said.

“We put her out for a break then and brought her back to prepare her for Melbourne in the spring. She’s such a big, scopey filly and showed a good enough turn of foot to suggest she was good enough to go over there.”

Zambezi Khan had won on debut at Tauherenikau before the Wellesley and returned to finish fifth at Taupo in August before crossing the Tasman.

“She had a really good grounding before she went. She was a little bit on edge at Taupo and probably ridden a bit too handy, but we’ve never altered the preparation, it’s all been about the Wakeful and the Oaks.”

Zambezi Khan was unplaced over 1200m at Seymour in her Australian debut before she won over 1550m at Mornington and backed that up with a solid last second over 1880m at Kyneton and will again be ridden by Billy Egan.

“It’s been a pretty good path for her and it looks like the further she goes the better she will be,” Lowry said.

The filly is a daughter of the Makfi mare Zafiki, who was successful up to 1800m and is a daughter of the Zabeel mare Zingo who claimed an edition the Listed Rain Lover Plate (2600m).

Advertisement

Zambezi Khan was bred by the Inner Mongolia Rider Horse Industry and purchased via the Gavelhouse platform by part-owner Mark Evans for $5,000.

“This is the first horse I’ve had for them, but when I built a house about 15 years ago, Mark did the timber flooring and that’s how we met and he sent me this filly,” Lowry said.

He was also thrilled to see his former charge Jimmysstar strike at the first time of asking in Australia at Bendigo on Wednesday.

Lowry prepared the son of Per Incanto to win two of his three starts before he was purchased by clients of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace’s stable.

“He won well and he is a very good horse, Grid Girl has also been sold and she’s over there now with the Hayes boys,” Lowry said.

The daughter of Time Test placed in both of her starts before her relocating to Lindsay Park.

Meanwhile, Lowry will also be keeping a close eye on Saturday on Trentham where he has The Stoney One and Candle in the Manawatu ITM Handicap (1200m) and Epairama in the intowin.co.nz Join A Syndicate Handicap (1400m).

“All three are going really well and I’m sure they will all be competitive, I couldn’t split any of them,” Lowry said. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Sunday May 25
Here is the full list of 72 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
First Season Highlights – These Young Stallions Had Results of Note
At the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale it was Anamoe that made the biggest splash which is as it should be given his profile and he duly did it again at the Gold Coast on Sunday with the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale proving a showcase for his offspring.
Mixed Fortunes for Aussie Connected Sprinters
There were two important sprint races run overnight in the UK and Ireland and both had key runners with strong Australian interest in Zoustar mare Mgheera and the former Waterhouse  Bott trained colt Storm Boy.
Sires With Winners - Saturday May 24
Here is the full list of 102 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Flashy Grey Kingman Colt Wins Irish 2,000 Guineas
Juddmonte Farms have been firing through spring of the euro flat season and they produced the quinella overnight at The Curragh with Kingman colts finishing one and two in the Group I Irish 2,000 Guineas (1m) and leading the way was Field of Gold, who was purchased as a weanling  for €530,000.
Antino King of Doomben with Track Record Breaking Victory
Trainer Tony Gollan has earmarked the Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) as the long-range target for star galloper Antino after a stunning victory in the Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m) on Saturday in track record time.
Almanzor Keeps Winners Coming for Moody- Coleman
The Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained Roadcone led his rivals a merry dance when winning the Stow Storage Solutions Handicap (1600m) at Sandown on Saturday, bringing up a treble for the stable and jockey Luke Cartwright.
G1 Stradbroke Next for War Machine
Hot favourite War Machine made light work of his rivals in the Gr.3 BRC Sprint (1350m) at Doomben on Saturday and it is now all systems go as the four-year-old son of Harry Angel (IRE) heads towards the Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 14.  
Rosemont Thirty for Thirty Launch for Zoustar's Best Son
Rosemont Stud are thrilled to announce the brilliant, all-the-way winner of the $1M Gr.1 W.F.A William Reid Stakes, SCHWARZ has retired & will stand at their Gnarwarre base in 2025.
One To Watch - Belmont
The Belmont meeting in Perth was abandoned on Saturday after just five races, but that was enough time for punters to get a look at a two year-old by Too Darn Hot (GB) that is the last foal of a sensational WA blue hen who sadly passed away last year.