Zabeel Mare Chasing Further Group One Success

Media Release - Thursday March 8

A start in one of the showpiece races of Sydney's The Championships awaits Lizzie L'Amour if she races up to expectations in Saturday's Group I  Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie.

Lizzie L'AmourBut just which showpiece event that is hasn't yet been decided, with Cambridge trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman covering their bases with entries for the Gr.1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick on April 7 and both the Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) and the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m) at the same track a week later.

TAB bookmakers have installed Zabeel five-year-old Lizzie L'Amour as a prohibitive $2 favourite for Saturday's weight-for-age feature, in which she defends her title after her half-head win over Benzini last year, again with Matt Cameron in the saddle.

She added her second Group One win with success in last month's Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa and has given her trainers no cause for concern since.

"She's going well, but I just hope the track isn't too hard for her because there's been no rain," Baker said.

"I am happy with her. She seems a happy horse and she's fit."

Ellerslie was rated a good 2 earlier this week and track staff applied 10mm of irrigation on Thursday after only 1mm of rain arrived, despite a forecast predicting several wet days leading into Saturday's Gr.1 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m) meeting.

Baker said the Lorna and Gary Moore-raced Lizzie L'Amour's Sydney programme would depend on how she ran on Saturday.

"She's in the Sydney Cup and she can stay. She's won her only start at 2400m," Baker said.

Advertisement

"She's probably at her best at 2000m but we think she can stay well."

Lizzie L'Amour has been allotted 53kg in the Sydney Cup and 52.5kg in the Doncaster.

Race rival and stablemate Nicoletta also holds an entry for the Queen Elizabeth Stakes and for the Gr.1 Coolmore Legacy Stakes (formerly the Queen of the Turf, 1600m) at Randwick the same day.

The Savabeel four-year-old placed in the Herbie Dyke Stakes and has since finished fourth in the Listed Kaimai Stakes (2000m) at Matamata.

"She's an improving horse. We are happy with the way she's going and we think she can figure in Saturday's race," Baker said.

Rounding out the stable's hand in the New Zealand Stakes is last-start Ellerslie winner Saint Emilion, who has twice finished fourth in Group One weight-for-age company and won the Gr.3 OMF Stakes (2000m) under the weight-for-age conditions at Ellerslie last November.

"He's won four of his 10 starts at Ellerslie and though he's second-up, he's pretty fit," Baker said.

"He's betwixt and between with weight-for-age racing because under handicaps he gets too much weight and at weight-for-age, he's up against the top ones."

Leith Innes rides Saint Emilion, who is on the third line of betting at $7.50, with Opie Bosson taking the ride on $12 shot Nicoletta. - NZ Racing Desk.
Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Monday September 1
Here is the full list of 22 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Spring Trial Watch – Caulfield
With a plethora of Group racing for colts and geldings last weekend and fillies to take centre stage Sydney on Saturday for the Group II ATC Furious Stakes it was interesting to see a Caulfield trial on Tuesday morning that featured six stakes-winning 3YO’s.
First Foals for Lofty Strike
One of the most interesting young stallions that we saw on the recent Victorian stud tour was at Swettenham Stud and it has not taken long for the big baldy face of Lofty Strike to find it’s way on to one of his first foals.
Tara Talks Racing - We Chat with the Breeder of Raging Force
The Group III ATC San Domenico Stakes was won last Saturday by exciting Cosmic Force gelding Raging Force, so this week we’re chatting to his breeder Dr Richard McClenahan of Mullaglass Stud, who has a self-confessed ‘mare addiction’!
Waller Stable Hold the Key to Melbourne Cup
Champion Sydney trainer Chris Waller has 27 of the 120 entries for this year’s $10million Melbourne Cup, which equates to more than 20 per cent of the total, so it’s probably worth having a closer look at them.
Zoustar 7YO Chasing G1 for Cambridge Stud
South Africa will tackle the All Blacks at Eden Park on Saturday night and earlier in the day a horse named after one of their favourite sons will be vying for Group One glory down the road at Ellerslie Racecourse.
Winning Debut for Blueblood Frankel Filly
We usually associate the Mark Walker stable with the tangerine colours of Te Akau racing, but it was John Camilleri’s Fairway Thoroughbreds colours in the frame for the astute Kiwi trainer trainer at Benalla on Tuesday carried by blueblood Frankel filly Chateau Eze.
Five Lots Announced for Tattersalls Online Barrier Trials Pop-Up Sale
Tattersalls Online, Europe’s leading online thoroughbred sales platform, will break new ground when offering for auction five lots who took part in the ITM Irish EBF Barrier Trials at Leopardstown Racecourse earlier this week. The sale which takes place on 3rd – 4th September can be viewed on the Tattersalls Online website www.tattersallsonline.com.
Ocean Emperor goes back-to-back in Tauranga Stakes
To quote famous baseballer Yogi Berra, it was “déjà vu’ all over again” at Tauranga on Saturday when classy customer Ocean Emperor defended his Gr2 Gartshore Tauranga Stakes (1600m) crown in fine style.
Vale, G1 winning horseman Tony Dennis
A member of one of New Zealand racing’s most famous and successful families has died, with the recent passing of Tony (Anthony) Dennis, aged 86.