Cover image courtesy of Michael McInally
The Annabel Neasham-trained Zaaki won the Doomben Cup with ridiculous ease under an ultra-confident James McDonald with the jockey in the fun zone a long way from home as they strolled away with the feature.
McDonald allowed the 6-year-old to stride to the front 400 metres from home and with hardly any coaxing, Zaaki sprinted a mile clear and crossed the line 7l with his giggling partner high in the irons across the post.
The Cup was also notable on another front as it marked the final appearances for the crack mare Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands), the warhorse Humidor (NZ) (Teofilo {Ire}) and zany mare Nettoyer (Sebring).
The trio finished fifth, seventh and fourth respectively to close out Group 1-winning careers.
Zaaki had showed his abundant talent at his previous appearance when he posted a clear-cut victory in the G2 Hollindale S. at the Gold Coast.
“The Hollindale was easy to watch and I was sitting with (part-owner) Carl Holt and when he got to the 300 I said 'don’t get excited yet and when we got to the furlong I said we’re alright here',” Neasham said.
“This was amazing and James was very confident. He just said 'leave it up to me and I’ll get him into the right spot and won’t over complicate things'. It was a brilliant ride.”
“This was amazing and James was very confident. He just said 'leave it up to me and I’ll get him (Zaaki) into the right spot and won’t over complicate things'.” – Annabel Neasham
Zaaki had made his Australian debut in last month’s G1 Doncaster H. and the red light was flashing after he came from the tail of the field to finish sixth.
“To be honest, I was quite bullish going into the Doncaster and knew he was a very good horse. He hasn’t taken a backward step since and I can’t wait for the G1 Cox Plate,” Neasham said.
Annabel Neasham and James McDonald hug after winning the G1 Doomben Cup | Image courtesy of Michael McInally
She also gave credit to the English bloodstock agent who first identified Zaaki as a prime candidate for Australia.
“I have to give a big shout out to Stuart Boman who found this horse at the Tattersalls Horses In Training Sale and we didn’t pay a whole lot for him,” Neasham said. “He was a little bit older and we took a chance so full credit to Stuart.”
Blandford Bloodstock’s Boman and Neasham paid 150,000 gns (AU$282,735) for Zaaki, who is from the family of the two-time European Group 1 winner Altieri (GB) (Selkirk {USA}), who had won a brace of Group 3 events at the time.
Zaaki was off and gone into the straight and he coasted to the line to have a wide margin on Toffee Tongue (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) with the front-runner Brandenburg (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}) 9.25l off the winner in third.
Time called on trio
The Cup was tinged with sadness for the connections of a trio of top-flight winners, whose racing days have come to an end.
Crack Kiwi Melody Belle, warrior Humidor and Nettoyer, a mare with an unusual diet to say the least, performed creditably enough at Doomben with efforts that took no gloss off their outstanding achievements over the years.
The Jamie Richards-prepared Melody Belle bows out with a remarkable piece of New Zealand history alongside her name - a record 14 Group 1 victories for a New Zealand-trained thoroughbred.
Richards rated her victory in the G1 Empire Rose S. at Flemington as a stand-out performance and a week later she was a luckless second behind Aidan O’Brien’s Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Mackinnon S.
She will now be offered as part of the Blue Sky Premium Consignment on behalf of the Fortuna Syndicate at next week’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale at the Gold Coast as Lot 510.
Gave Winx a scare
Humidor was a three-time Group 1 winner and placed nine times at the highest level, including twice in the Cox Plate and in the 2017 edition got within 0.4l of the champion Winx (Street Cry {Ire}).
The 8-year-old passed through several stables during his career, which began with Johnno Benner in New Zealand before relocation to the now disqualified Darren Weir and then stints with Ciaron Maher and David Eustace.
He ended his racing days with Chris Waller, who prepared him for his final victory in last spring’s G2 Feehan S.
Beer and pizza-loving mare Nettoyer has been a star for part-owner and trainer Wendy Roche with seven victories, including Group 1 triumphs in the Doncaster H. and the Queen of the Turf.
She will be part of the Widden Stud draft at next week’s Broodmare Sale where she will go through the ring as Lot 717.