Zabeel’s profound influence on the Queensland Oaks

Whether it be for their exploits on the track or in the breeding shed, the champions of this amazing sport should never be forgotten. In fact, they should often be remembered and celebrated at an appropriate time.

On the eve of the G1 Queensland Oaks, that time is now for the legendary Zabeel (NZ), who was a top racehorse, but is without doubt best-remembered as an all-time great of the Australasian bloodstock world.

Zabeel was bred by Swettenham Stud’s joint venture bloodstock partnership with Arrowfield Stud and is a son of the legendary Sir Tristram (Ire) and the unraced Nureyev (USA) mare Lady Giselle (Fr). Trained by Colin and later David Hayes for Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Zabeel won five stakes races, including the G1 Australian Guineas - a race his half-brother, Baryshnikov also triumphed in. Furthermore, Zabeel finished third in a G1 Rosehill Guineas and G1 Underwood S.

Owing to a suspensory injury, he retired to Cambridge Stud in 1991 following 19 starts in Sheikh Hamdan’s famous silks (royal blue, white epaulettes and striped cap). Zabeel stood at stud for 22 seasons, producing 44 Group 1 winners, one less than Sir Tristram, until his death at 29 in 2015. He now has 46 to his credit.

Zabeel was a two-time Australian Champion Sire, a four-time Champion Stallion in New Zealand, and won the New Zealand Dewar Trophy for combined NZ and Australian earnings a staggering 15 times. He was also Australia and New Zealand’s Champion Broodmare Sire three times each.

Not surprisingly, Zabeel has had a huge impact on a number of Australasia’s best races. Three of his progeny - Might And Power (NZ), Jezabeel (NZ) and Efficient (NZ) - tasted success in arguably Australia’s greatest race, the G1 Melbourne Cup.

The G1 Cox Plate is another race where Zabeel features prominently. Four of his sons - Octagonal (NZ), Might And Power (NZ), Savabeel and Maldivian (NZ) - prevailed in Moonee Valley’s showpiece event, while 2012 champion Ocean Park (NZ) features Zabeel as his damsire.

Making the race his own

The Queensland Oaks, which will be run and won this weekend at Eagle Farm, is another race Zabeel has his hoofprints all over. He has been the winning sire five times, the victorious grandsire once, the successful damsire on one occasion, and is closely related to two other winners.

Zabeel’s first Queensland Oaks winner came in 1998 when the Gai Waterhouse-trained Zacheline (NZ) touched off John Wheeler’s Midnight Babe (NZ) (Kaapstad {NZ}).

Zacheline has gone on to produce 11 foals; seven have raced and six are winners, including the five-time scorer Kukri (Commands).

In 2003, it was Clarry Conners’ filly Zagalia (NZ) that claimed her one and only stakes success in the Queensland Oaks.

Zagalia has thrown one stakes winner - Dawnie Perfect (Big Brown {USA}).

The following year, it was the Paul O’Sullivan-trained Vouvray (NZ) that proved too good. Again, it would be her lone stakes triumph.

Gallery: Winners of their only stakes success in the G1 Queensland Oaks, images courtesy of Sportpix

Vouvray hasn’t produced a star of her own, but she is the grandam of the Group 1 victress Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) and the Listed winner Champ Elect (Choisir).

Fast forward to 2009 and the Queensland Oaks was taken out by the Peter Snowden-trained Purple (Commands). She is a daughter of Lady Viola (NZ) and she herself is by Zabeel, making the great stallion the winning damsire.

In 2011, Zabeel became a Queensland Oaks-winning grandsire when gun Kiwi filly Scarlett Lady (NZ) was much the best for Graeme and Debbie Rogerson. She is by Zabeel’s son Savabeel - a super sire in his own right.

Scarlett Lady has produced four winners, including Irish Playboy (Fastnet Rock). He has triumphed on eight occasions, amassing earnings of $375,763.

Twelve months later, John Sargent’s Quintessential (NZ) (Fast ‘N’ Famous) raced to Queensland Oaks glory. Zabeel features in her pedigree three generations back, being the sire of Fast ‘N’ Famous’ dam Zalinda (NZ).

Quintessential has thrown the eight-time victory Steely (All Too Hard).

In 2013, Pat Carey’s Gondokoro became Zabeel’s fourth Queensland Oaks heroine when she won under Rhys McLeod. In that year, Zabeel provided the quinella, with Miss Zenella (NZ) running second.

Three years later, the Tony Pike-trained Provocative (NZ) made it a handful of Queensland Oaks winners for Zabeel.

The four-time scorer Serengeti (Smart Missile) is the best of three winners for Gondokoro, while Provocative has thrown two winners, as well as the stakes performer Grinzinger Lord (Tavistock {NZ}).

And just last year, Zabeel again featured in the pedigree of the Queensland Oaks scorer - Gypsy Goddess (NZ) (Tarzino {NZ}). His daughter, Zarzino (NZ), is the dam of Tarzino.

Gypsy Goddess will continue her career as a broodmare in Japan after being sold to Northern Farm for an undisclosed amount earlier this year.

Will Zabeel add to his Queensland Oaks legacy in 2023?

Although Zabeel doesn’t have a runner in Saturday’s Group 1 feature, he is dotted throughout the pedigree page of five of the runners (including emergencies).

John Sargent has So Dazzling (NZ) (So You Think {NZ}) looking for her maiden stakes win. Bred by Beaufort Downs, she is from Dazzling Lady (NZ), who is a daughter of Lonhro and he, of course, is a grandson of Zabeel.

Les Kelly’s Noah ‘N’ A Deel was bred by Arrowfield Pastoral, Planette Thoroughbred and Belford Productions and she too carries Zabeel blood. The filly is by Maurice (Jpn) from the Dundeel (NZ) mare Double Deel. Dundeel’s dam Stareel (NZ) is by Zabeel.

Proscenium Arch (NZ) lines up for Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young and the So You Think (NZ) filly, who was bred by Brendan and Jo Lindsay and David Redvers, looks like a live chance based on her fourth in the G2 The Roses last time out. Her grandam, Be Inspired, is a daughter of Zabeel.

Rockbarton Road (Territories {Ire}) and California Grass (Al Maher), who are both emergencies and look unlikely to gain a start, also feature Zabeel in their pedigree.