Zabeel Stayer Too Tough in G2 Avondale Cup

Media Release - Monday January 1
The powerful Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman training partnership added another feature event to their season's tally with enigmatic gelding Zacada coming of age with a gritty victory in the Group II Laser Plumbing Te Puke Avondale Cup (2400m) at Ellerslie.

Zacada - Trish DunnellThe powerful Cambridge operation saddled three runners in the event with Zacada proving best of the trio as he demonstrated his undoubted staying ability to race to a two-length victory over Matamata mare Wildflower and race favourite Five To Midnight.

Heavy showers earlier in the day saw the track rated a Slow 8 for the contest which played into the hands of the five-year-old Zabeel gelding who relished the tricky conditions. Handled patiently by rider Danielle Johnson, the pair tracked up behind a wall of horses disputing the pace at the 500-metre mark before easing to the outer to make their powerful finishing burst.

Despite hitting the front early in the run home Zacada kept going powerfully to land a deserved prize.

"He's been building towards winning a good race," said Forsman.

"He finished second to Chenille in the Nathans Memorial last year and when he did that I thought then he could win a good race."

Forsman was unsure of the future plans for the horse, preferring instead to take time to analyse the best path forward.

"We will sit down and work it out with his owners on where to next," he said.

"They have been very good at letting us do what we want with him.

"It's paid off as he is a Zabeel, who is a bit quirky, but he's finally maturing and getting there. He's not easy and Danielle did a great job.

"She just waited and waited as it was always going to be a staying test in those conditions."
Johnson was complimentary of Zacada's efforts after he provided her with her first stakes victory of the carnival.

"I got in behind the right horses to track up into it and he has just sprinted away at the end," she said.

"He is still pretty quirky as he took off on me coming back to scale, so he definitely still has a lot to learn, but I think he can go on with it."

The win extended Baker and Forsman's lead at the head of the National Trainer's Premiership which they sit atop with 59 wins, 21 clear of nearest rivals Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards.

The pair added further black-type success one race later when Coldplay triumphed in a desperate finish to the Gr. 2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) - NZ Racing Desk


Advertisment
More Reading...
Karaka Millions and NZB Kiwi Opportunities in Ready to Run Sale
More than ever before, horses bought from the NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka will be eligible to compete for significant prize-money within 18 months of their purchase.
Tabitha Ridley-Thomas Joins Magic Millions Bloodstock Team
Australia's leading thoroughbred auctioneer Magic Millions has boosted it's impressive Bloodstock Team with news Tabitha Ridley-Thomas has this week joined the company.
Breeding To Win - 2025 $10m Golden Eagle
Racing fans and punters love a good debate, but if there's one thing they tend to unite on, it's the view that the retirement of talented young horses from the racetrack to the stud happens far too early for their liking!
One To Watch – Wyong
With her half-brother Private Eye set to line up in Saturday's $3m ATC Russell Balding Stakes (1300m) at Randwick, 3yo Shalaa (IRE) filly Confidentiality broke her maiden on Thursday at Wyong at just her second start for trainer Joe Pride.
Walker Upbeat Heading into Flemington
Trainer Mark Walker will have a two-pronged attack on the Gr.1 VRC Derby (2500m) at Flemington on Saturday, headed by last start Listed 3YO Geelong Classic (2200m) winner Azazel, with lightly-tried McWoody also making the field.
High Hopes for Pencarrow Stud Homebred Farnan Filly
Passiflora will provide her connections with a sound guide at Tauranga as to where she sits in the three-year-old pecking order.
Promising Winner for Peltzer
Michael Freedman trained his first winner for Champion Thoroughbreds on Thursday at Wyong and promising Peltzer gelding Sir Loyne won in a manner to suggest there is much more to come.
600k Fantasy World Heads Third Day of Tattersalls Autumn HIT Sale
FANTASY WORLD was one of three lots to realise 500,000 guineas or more on the third day of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale which saw significant increases to the median, average and turnover from the equivalent session in 2024.
2025 Victoria Derby Pedigree Preview - Who is Bred to Stay?
The Group I VRC Victoria Derby at Flemington on Saturday is worth a whopping $2 million and the testing trip of 2500m means a lot of horses are not going to see it out strongly and this looks a competitive year with no G1 winners engaged and a full field of up and comers set to do battle, so let’s see what the pedigrees have to say.
Sires With Winners - Thursday October 30
Here is the full list of 30 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.