Zed Stayer Wins Awapuni Gold Cup

Media Release - Saturday March 30

Group I winning filly Verry Elleegant was not the only stakes-winner for Zed on Saturday, with former Wellington and Auckland Cup placegetter Jacksstar making an emotional return to the winner's enclosure when he out-stayed his rivals to capture the Group II City Of Palmerston North Awapuni Gold Cup (2000m) on his home turf on Saturday.

Jacksstar - Race Images Peter RuberyThe Awapuni-trained galloper has had nothing but bad luck since finishing a gallant third in the 2018 Gr.1 Auckland Cup (3200m), in the process sustaining a serious tendon injury.

Off the scene for over eighteen months the Zed gelding resumed in November last year, with a steady build-up aimed at the 2019 Gr.2 Wellington Cup (3200m) in January. Bad luck struck once again with a pulled shoe during the running accounting for a lack-lustre effort in the two-mile feature whilst he also missed a run in the Gr.1 Auckland Cup (3200m) after suffering another niggling injury when finishing fifth in the Gr.2 Avondale Cup (2400m) in February.

Unsighted since that Avondale Cup run, Jacksstar wasn't amongst the favoured brigade for Saturday's contest despite his liking for his home track and the Good3 surface on offer.

Handled superbly by rider Chris Johnson the hardy son of Zed capitalised on a perfect run in transit to outstay his main challenger, Sampson, over the final 200m to rack up his seventh career victory.

Trainer Gary Vile was struggling to keep his emotions in check as he outlined what the horse had been through over the last two years.

"That's as good as it comes," Vile said.

"To get this horse back after where he was two-years ago is unbelievable.

"He was spot on for the Auckland Cup (March 2019) after pulling a shoe in the Wellington Cup, where he pulled up sore.

"The Avondale Cup run was terrific but then he got a bit of a knee complaint.

Advertisement

"Through my vets, Vivienne (partner Vivienne Kaye) and my staff, we got him here."

Vile candidly admits there is no love lost with his charge, who can prove a handful around the stable.

"He's not really (a stable favourite), he's a horrible horse," he said.

"He's a really hard horse to train but he's one of the better ones.

"His work had been great and he's a true-blue stayer who likes a good track.

"He will go to the Hawke's Bay Cup now and that will be his lot."

The Listed Hawke's Bay Cup (2200m) is the feature event at Hastings on April 13.

The victory has taken Jacksstar's career record to seven wins from 39 starts and over $332,000 in stakes earnings. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Chase scores sentimental win at Otaki
Johnathan Parkes has had many memorable wins throughout his riding career, but his victory aboard Chase at Otaki on Thursday would feature right up there sentimentally.
Zed Gelding Wins G3 Metric Mile
Talented winter galloper Herengawe came of age at Awapuni on Saturday when he out-toughed his rivals to score his first win at stakes level when he took out the Group III Boehringer Ingelheim Metric Mile (1600m).
First Stakes Horse for Home Affairs
The Group III ATC Breeders Plate (1000m) at Randwick on Saturday attracted a strong field of talented colts from the recent official 2YO trials in Sydney and Home Affairs looks to have a quality youngster in I’m Ya Huckleberry.
Star Kiwi Bred Mare Verry Ellegant Ready for Return
Dual Group One winner Verry Elleegant is one of four Chris Waller-trained gallopers nominated for Saturday’s Group I Winx Stakes (1400m) at Randwick, joining stablemates Unforgotten, Youngstar and Kings Will Dream.
Media World Adds to Millionaire Yearling Stakes Success
Stakes racing on Saturday produced a number of stakes-winners purchased for seven figures as yearlings in Australia with $1.8million Inglis Easter sale-topper Autumn Glow leading the way in the Group I ATC Epsom after earlier success for $1million 2YO Incognito, while at Flemington $1.4million entire Media World took out the Listed VRC Paris Lane Stakes (1400m).
Latest Zed SW Brings Joy to Breeder
Saturday’s Group III  Winter Cup (1600m) added some black-type lustre to a brief foray into thoroughbred breeding for Carole and Doug Isaacson, who can owe their success to a showjumping win.
McGaw Firms For Coolmore Stud Stakes After G2 Danehill Win
Considered an outside chance in betting markets, Emma-Lee and David Browne’s I Am Immortal gelding McGaw dented the reputation of a few leading Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes contenders with a fighting win in the $300,000 Gr2 VRC Danehill Stakes (1100m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Surprise Bart Cummings Victory Secures Valiant King Melbourne Cup Run
It’s not often you see a runner from the Chris Waller stable go around at 50/1 odds, but 6yo gelding Valiant King (GB) produced an outstanding effort to win Saturday’s $350,000 Group 3 VRC Bart Cummings (2520m) at Flemington, securing himself a run in this year’s $10m Gr1 VRC Melbourne Cup (3200m).
Historic Day in Kalgoorlie - Old Meets the New
Kalgoorlie knows how to party, and on Cup day 2025 the party was big!
Wootton Bassett G1 Double on Arc Day
The shattering loss of Wootton Bassett (GB) has been highlighted at Longchamp in France on Arc Day where the champion sire added two new Group I winners to his tally in 2YO colt Puerto Rico and the former Aussie owned 3YO colt Maranoa Charlie.