One to Watch - Flemington

Tara Madgwick - Friday April 25

Unbeaten this year with four successive wins, this four year-old gelding is a horse going places with a facile victory at Flemington on ANZAC Day stamping him as a possible spring contender.

King Zephyr wins at Flemington - image Brett Holburt / Racing Photos

Combining the blood of two Twin Hills Stud sires, the Grahame Begg trained King Zephyr is by Hallowed Crown from a daughter of Smart Missile.

He had two starts last year for a win and a third and since returning a the start of the year has made rapid progress through his grades.

King Zephyr won at Pakenham and then twice at Sandown before coming to Flemington for a Benchmark 78 event over 1400m today with regular partner Jordan Childs steering him to a dominant two length win.

A $48,000 Inglis Premier purchase from Kelly Thoroughbreds for CF Hyland Racing, King Zephyr has won five of seven starts banking over $140,000 for his big group of happy owners.

King Zephyr has a lot of happy owners! - image Reg Ryyan / Racing Photos

“He's a nice horse going forward. He just keeps getting better and better with every start,” said Jordan Childs.

Advertisement

“We didn't do anything fancy today. We just wanted to keep him in the clear and ride him like the best horse and he really did the rest.

“He travelled well into it, but when he’s hitting the front, he just losing his action a little bit, so it's a good sign that he's not the finished product yet, and he'll keep improving as his preps go on.

“It just feels like we haven't got to the bottom of him yet, and he's winning his races quite easily, so it's very exciting. I'm not sure if Grahame tips him out or if he keeps him in for another one, but whatever he does, if he goes out and he's coming back for spring, I'm looking forward to it.”

King Zephyr is the first foal of Divine Breeze, a winning Smart Missile mare that was bred by Gorree Stud and is from imported metro winner History Maker (USA), who left six winners and is also the grand-dam of Group III winner Jaja Chaboogie.

King Zephyr’s sire Hallowed Crown stands at a fee of $8,800, while his dam-sire Smart Missile is priced at $13,200.

Advertisment

Race Result - William Newton VC (Bm78) 1400m

Flemington Track: Good(4) Time: 1:22.79
1
King Zephyr
- 4g Hallowed Crown (AUS) x Divine Breeze (AUS) (Smart Missile (AUS))
Tnr: G M Begg Rdr: Jordan Childs 59.5
2
2
Otago
- 4g Ocean Park (NZ) x Steel Stilettos (AUS) (Hussonet (USA))
Tnr: M Price & M Kent Jnr Rdr: M Zahra 58
3
2.1
The Shaper
- 4g Street Boss (USA) x Glory's Girl (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: A & S Freedman Rdr: D W Stackhouse 56.5
4
2.3
Ocean Beyond
- 7g Ocean Park (NZ) x Frankly (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: Simon Ryan Rdr: Tom Prebble 56
5
3.1
Saban
- 4g Shamus Award (AUS) x Striking Choice (USA) (Smart Strike (CAN))
Tnr: P G Moody & Katherine Coleman Rdr: Luke Cartwright 54.5
6
3.5
Too Much Caviar
- 7g All Too Hard (AUS) x More Caviar (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Jett Stanley 61
7
3.6
Impending Link
- 5g Impending (AUS) x Atlantic Queen (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: G Eurell Rdr: B Shinn 57
8
4.1
Pure Alpha
- 4g Ardrossan (AUS) x Bridgewater (AUS) (Written Tycoon (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: B Melham 57
9
4.4
Russian Meteor
- 5g Russian Revolution (AUS) x Diamond Meteor (AUS) (Northern Meteor (AUS))
Tnr: Bill Papazaharoudakis Rdr: J Mott 59
10
4.8
Georgie Get Mad
- 6g Australia (GB) x Skimmia (GB) (Mark Of Esteem (IRE))
Tnr: Denis Pagan Rdr: J Noonan 59
11
6.6
Flash Feeling
- 6g Iffraaj (GB) x Shanzam (AUS) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: Dan O'Sullivan Rdr: Ms J Kennedy 56
12
7.3
Titan Of Choice
- 6g Extreme Choice (AUS) x Any Day Will Do (AUS) (Any Given Saturday (USA))
Tnr: Peter Gelagotis Rdr: Hannah Edgley 55.5
More Reading...
NZB Breeze Up Footage Now Available to View Online
The highly anticipated Breeze Up videos for NZB’s 2025 Ready to Run Sale are now available to view online at nzb.co.nz.
Melbourne Cup Next for UK Raider Onesmoothoperator
Winner of the Group III Geelong Cup last year at his first Australian appearance, UK trained stayer Onesmoothoperator (USA) had not won a race since then but was back in the winning groove last night take out the $750,000 Group II MVRC Moonee Valley Cup (2500m).
Torryburn Stud Celebrate More Stakes Success with Stardom
A homebred for Torryburn Stud, talented Zoustar filly Stardom was a stakes-winner back in May on Scone Cup Day and recaptured her best form at Moonee Valley on Saturday to take out the $200,000 Listed Crockett Stakes (1200m).
Winning Return for Blueblood I Am Invincible Filly
Last seen finishing an unlucky fourth in the $1million Magic Millions National 2YO Classic in May, speedy I Am Invincible filly Sisstainable returned from a spell at Moonee Valley on Friday night to score a tenacious win.
Wootton Bassett Colts Bolts Away with G3 Red Anchor
The $240,000 Group III MVRC Red Anchor Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday was turned into a procession when the field turned for home as Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Napoleonic loomed up out wide and charged clear to win as he pleased.
A Century of NZB National Yearling Sales Success: Cox Plate
Moonee Valley’s A$6m Group One WS Cox Plate (2040m) is known as the weight-for-age championship of Australasia and has been won by many of Australia and New Zealand’s greatest thoroughbreds.
Second Wootton Bassett Son Added to Coolmore Stallion Roster for 2026
Set to join Camille Pissarro as the second G1 winning son of Wootton Bassett on the stallion roster for Ireland in 2026 is Henri Matisse, who this time last year was about to claim his first G1 victory at the Breeders Cup meeting at Del Mar.
Magic Millions First Digital Sale - Opportunities Aplenty
Bidding is now open for the first Magic Millions Digital Sale with opportunities across all levels of the market for prospective buyers.
Early Return Home for Cogburn
Group I winning Not This Time son Cogburn (USA) will return to WinStar Farm in Kentucky earlier than planned after disappointing fertility results during his first Australian covering season at Widden Stud.
Sires With Winners - Friday October 24
Here is the full list of 60 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.