Kingman Filly Zardozi a Class Above in Victoria Oaks

Mark Smith - Thursday November 9

Godolphin’s Kingman (GB) filly Zardozi unleashed a withering burst of acceleration to claim the 165th running of the $1,000,000 Group I Kennedy Victoria Oaks (2500m) at Flemington.

A first Victoria Oaks for James McDonald (image Grant Courtney)

Given a patient ride by James McDonald, Zardozi travelled sweetly midfield as Amazonian Lass led them through solid sectionals.

A threatening presence on the home turn with McDonald not moving a muscle, Zardozi put the race to bed in a matter of strides.

Advertisement

Given a kind ride over the final 100 metres, Zardozi defeated the solid finishing Saxon Warrior (JPN) filly Aethelfled by two and a quarter lengths with the Staphanos (JPN) filly Basilinna a further four and a quarter lengths back in third.

The Group II Edward Manifold Stakes winner at Flemington on October 7, Zardozi, was a fast-finishing second in the Group II Wakeful Stakes at Flemington last Saturday.

The Kingman (GB) filly advances her record to five wins and a second from nine starts with earnings of $973,700.

“It’s just a real privilege to be on the big stage with beautifully bred horses like this,” James Cummings said.

“She’s a real reflection of his honour, Sheikh Mohammed’s vision to have an international pedigree here in a VRC Oaks. For only a slender filly, she packed a punch at the end of a mile and a half, as we had full confidence in her to do.

“He’s (McDonald) absolutely nailed it. To win the Derby and the Oaks in the same Cup carnival is a great credit to James. He showed great nous early, got himself in a perfect position, and settled down eighth in his own space. I love that, and she let go like a weapon, that’s absolutely gold for her pedigree.

“It is a great exercise in patience and to have a belief in your horse. She had one or two hooves in the spelling paddock after those couple of (unplaced) runs. But we had great faith that she was going to be better than that, and she was just begging for me to step her up in distance.

“We didn’t quite lose the faith and persevered. A little bit like her pedigree. She is out of a mare that underperformed, but she is a granddaughter of a very talented Dalakani mare.

The winning team (image Grant Courtney)

“Those bloodlines came to the fore, and it is a good recipe (to) find some good European staying blood and send them to a local trainer in Australia, and it is amazing how that recipe can be.

We race our horses and make decisions, and we elected to back her up this week.

“We would have had the raging favourite in the Victoria Derby, but we elected not to back Tom Kitten up. You live and die by your decisions, and she’ll go for a spell now.

“We can enjoy the VRC Oaks win today. It goes on her pedigree page, and that is absolute gold for her.

“By Kingman, incredible value, and that is a big result for the farm and my training team had plenty of belief in her.

“She accelerated like a genuine Group 1 horse.”

Zardozi is the first foal of the unraced Dubawi (IRE) mare Chanderi (GB), a 1,300,000gns purchase for Godolphin from the Highclere Stud draft at the 2017 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.

Chanderi (GB) is a daughter of the Dalakhani mare Silk Sari (GB), who won the Group II Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster by five lengths and was runner-up in the Group 1 British Champion Fillies/Mares Stakes at Ascot.

A brilliant Oaks winner - What's she worth? (image Grant Courtney)

 Silk Sari's half-sister Dreamlike (GB) (Oasis Dream) is the dam of Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young's Caulfield winner He's Our Bonneval (GB) (Siyouni).

Silk Sari (GB) is a granddaughter of the champion mare Gossamer (Sadler's Wells), a sister to former Widden Stud shuttler, Barathea (IRE).

Chanderi (GB) has a 2-year-old Lonhro colt named Adinath and a yearling colt by Exceed and Excel. She was covered by Palace Pier (GB) late last spring.

Zardozi is the tenth Group 1 winner, and second in Australia, for Juddmonte Farm's Kingman (GB), who stands at Banstead Manor Stud for a fee of £125,000 in 2024.

Advertisment

Race Result - Kennedy Oaks Gr1 2500m

Flemington Track: Good(4) Time: 2:38.59
1
Zardozi
- 3f Kingman (GB) x Chanderi (GB) (Dubawi (IRE))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: J B Mc Donald 56
2
2.3
Aethelflaed
- 3f Saxon Warrior (JPN) x Chasing Mammon (AUS) (Giant's Causeway (USA))
Tnr: Matthew Smith Rdr: M Zahra 56
3
6.5
Basilinna
- 3f Staphanos (JPN) x So Royal (NZ) (Shinko King (IRE))
Tnr: E & D Browne Rdr: D Oliver 56
4
8.8
Amazonian Lass
- 3f More Than Ready (USA) x Dynastic Lady (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Tim Clark 56
5
9.5
Coco Sun
- 3f The Autumn Sun (AUS) x Miss Hufflepuff (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: T & C McEvoy Rdr: Damian Lane 56
6
10.3
Served Cold
- 3f Shamus Award (AUS) x Sure You Can (NZ) (O'reilly (NZ))
Tnr: D T O'Brien Rdr: B Shinn 56
7
10.5
Ethel Maude
- 3f Smart Missile (AUS) x Lola Betty (AUS) (Crowded House (GB))
Tnr: Pat Carey & Harris Walker Rdr: R Mc Leod 56
8
12
Harlow Mist
- 3f Contributer (IRE) x Sila Jasak (NZ) (Cullen (AUS))
Tnr: J G Sargent Rdr: M J Dee 56
9
12.2
Everlasting Kiss
- 3f Justify (USA) x Tears Of Joy (AUS) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: T Busuttin & N Young Rdr: B Melham 56
10
14.2
Tropical Squall
- 3f Prized Icon (AUS) x Squalls (AUS) (Fusaichi Pegasus (USA))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: A Hyeronimus 56
11
19.2
Peaky Ridge
- 3f Shamoline Warrior (AUS) x Miss Peaky (AUS) (Strategic Maneuver (AUS))
Tnr: P A Chow Rdr: Declan Bates 56
12
20.4
Another You
- 3f Frosted (USA) x Bahamas (AUS) (Teofilo (IRE))
Tnr: Dan O'Sullivan Rdr: Jamie Kah 56
More Reading...
Four Winners for Dennis
Local trainer Robert Dennis won half of the eight-race card at Ascot Park on Friday, culminating with a special win by Sir Sterling in the Vale Tony Dennis (1400m).
Captivant Colt Shines at Warwick Farm Trials
Captivant’s burgeoning reputation for producing precocious 2YOs took another leap forward at today’s Warwick Farm trials, with Courthezon powering to victory in Heat 10.
Who Was Flight?
A G1 race since 1984, the Flight Stakes is a race won by special fillies - often the ones who go on to do extraordinary things on the track against all comers as older mares and that's as it should be as Hall Of Fame legend Flight exemplified that style of thoroughbred.
Mogumber Park hoists wet sail with Marine One
This time last year, the first foals by Mogumber Park stallion Marine One were widely regarded as some of the best types on the ground in Western Australia.
Kingman's Zardozi Dominant in Edward Manifold
The winner of her first three starts, nothing much went right for the Kingman filly Zardozi at her next three. The Godolphin colour bearer put it all together in Saturday's Group II Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m), with connections pondering a possible tilt at the Victoria Oaks.
Zardozi Brilliant in Group Two Phar Lap Stakes
Godolphin's Victoria Oaks heroine Zardozi bounced back from a sub-par performance in the Surround Stakes to claim Saturday's Group II Chandon Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Warwick Farm
We had three heats for 2YO’s run at Warwick Farm on Friday morning over 815m with winners by Farnan, Ole Kirk and Kia Ora Stud’s first season sire Captivant, while Stay Inside had an impressive trial winner at Murray Bridge.
Breeding To Win – 2025 G1 Darley Flight Stakes
The prestigious Darley Princess Series reaches its crescendo this week with the 77th running of the $750,000 G1 ATC Flight Stakes (1600m) over Royal Randwick's famous mile.
Recent success highlights Inglis Digital October (Early) Sale
A range of exciting racing and breeding prospects – as well as a number of in-form racehorses and shares in Stakes winners – headline the Inglis Digital October (Early) Online Sale.
Three on the Bounce for Kingman Filly Zardozi
Godolphin's two-year-old Kingman (GB) filly Zardozi made it three wins from as many starts with a performance of a future stakes winner in the St Johns Park Bowling Club 2yo Clarendon Stakes (1400m) at Hawkesbury on Saturday.