G3 Winter Cup Winner for Zed

Media Release - Saturday August 3

Central Districts raider Dez took out Saturday's Group III Winning Edge Presentations 122nd Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton courtesy of a peach of a ride from master jockey Chris Johnson.

Dez - RAce ImagesThe lightly raced eight-year old, who was having just his seventeenth career start, lifted in the final 100m under the urgings of Johnson to nail fellow North Islander Rosewood right on the post to claim the victory.

The Simon Wilson-trained and part-owned Zed gelding, who had finished an unlucky third in the race 12 months ago, had looked a forlorn chance to even make the trip south earlier this winter after a run of poor form saw him beat just four horses home in his first three starts of a new campaign.

Wilson persevered and with Johnson legged aboard for the first time, Dez produced a revitalised effort to score well at Otaki last weekend to confirm his participation.

Under a typically patient Johnson ride, Dez settled nicely in midfield before driving through the middle of the pack as a slew of runners fanned wide early in the run home.

Rosewood, who had snuck through on the inner before angling to the middle of the track, had established what looked like a winning break at the 200m but Johnson never gave up on Dez who chased bravely to collar Rosewood and score his biggest victory.

"We've had a few problems, but we sorted them out and he has definitely hit top form at the right time," Wilson said.

"I was happy with him as he had travelled well and was eating up but you just never know on the day.

"Being by Zed we knew he would handle the conditions and he had a great rider on board.

Advertisement

"I actually can't see that well as I'm a little bit colour blind but when he turned in it looked like he was coming through with a good run and it was a fantastic ride by Chris."

Johnson was his typically relaxed self as he described proceedings about the race he last won back in 1991 on Robyn's Affair.

"He travelled nice in the race although when we moved into second halfway down, he was flat out," Johnson said.

"The second horse (Rosewood) kept kicking and he (Dez) just lifted that last bit.

"I wasn't sure if we had got up as I've had a run of seconds and thought I was second again.

"He's had a few issues in this prep, but I had a look at his run last year which was huge and on his last start it looked like he was back in that form."

The victory made it win number seven for Dez who spent two and a half years on the side-lines with tendon issues after winning two of his first three starts back in 2015. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Kiwi Bred Keeps Winners Coming for Payne Stable
The Patrick and Michelle Payne-trained Bold Soul has been a consistent performer right through the winter months and notched another win at Flemington when prevailing in the VRC Membership Renewals Open (2530m) on Saturday.
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).
Inglis Digital Bargain Buys Deliver Kosciuszko Dreamers
Sunshine Law was not the only Inglis Digital success story to come out of the Rosehill meeting on Saturday with two contenders for this year’s $2million Kosciuszko also giving connections cause to dream big and one of them is an unbeaten mare with a Black Type pedigree.
The Novelist Returns to Form
The very first stakes-winner for his sire Written By when winning the Group III BRC BJ McLachlan Stakes in December 2022, The Novelist made light of the heavy 10 track at Rosehill on Saturday to claim another victory.
Dual Group Winner Too Darn Good At Flemington
A dual group winner during the Spring of her 3yo season, talented mare Too Darn Discreet showed an electric turn of foot, charging home over the top of them to win the Melbourne Cup Carnival On Sale (1620m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Sliding Doors Moment Delivers Feel Good Winner at Rosehill
Two fillies were born at Yulong in 2021 sired by Alabama Express from imported North American daughters of Street Cry, one of them is triple Group I winner Treasurethe Moment and the other is the feel good winner of the day at Rosehill on Saturday.
King of Roseau Wins G3 Aurie’s Star
Placed in the Listed VRC Poseidon Stakes at Flemington last spring as a three year-old behind Growing Empire, Capitalist gelding King of Roseau returned to the same venue on Saturday to capture the Group III VRC Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m).
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.
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.
Kosciuszko calling Rosehill winner Elson Boy
Dubbo-trained Elson Boy was back in the winner’s circle after a 412-day absence when leading throughout to land the Jockeys Celebration Day Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill in the hands of apprentice William Stanley.