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Zaaki

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Lord Hybrow View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lord Hybrow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Mar 2022 at 7:02pm
Superb today winning the ASM.

Can’t wait for the QE Stks Star

Zaaki vs VE vs Anamoe vs Montefelia
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Pardon_My_Dust Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Mar 2022 at 7:11pm
Throw in Think It Over if the track isn't heavy.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Afros Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Mar 2022 at 9:06am
It must be a thrill having a horse to win any race as dominantly as that, let alone in a $5 million race.

I agree with Lord Hybrow, bring on the Queen Elizabeth!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote djebel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Mar 2022 at 4:24pm

Neasham reveals overseas dream for Zaaki

Zaaki’s trainer Annabel Neasham has an overseas campaign in the back of her mind for the All-Star Mile winner. Picture : Racing Photos via Getty Images.Zaaki’s trainer Annabel Neasham has an overseas campaign in the back of her mind for the All-Star Mile winner. Picture : Racing Photos via Getty Images.
By Brad Waters
01:24pm • 21 March 2022
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A Cox Plate would be the priority but trainer Annabel Neasham would love to have a crack at overseas races with brilliant All-Star Mile winner Zaaki.

Zaaki started his career in England, where he won twice at Group 3 level and placed in Group 2 company, before becoming one of Australia’s best gallopers under Neasham’s care.

The six-year-old posted his seventh win in 11 Australian starts in last Saturday’s All-Star Mile at Flemington with the $2.25m winner’s cheque taking his local earnings to more than $5.7m.

Neasham said she had plans to take Zaaki to Hong Kong for the QEII Cup (2000m) after next month’s Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick.

However, Hong Kong’s latest Covid-19 crisis put paid to those plans.

“I was hoping to take him to Hong Kong for that race, the Queen Elizabeth Cup, which I think is three weeks after the Queen Elizabeth Stakes,” Neasham said.

“We got him vaccinated for that but that’s not going to be happening.”

Neasham said she would love to take Zaaki back to England to race during the Royal Ascot carnival mid-year.

The Seppelt Wines All-Star Mile

Zaaki’s All-Star Mile win was the import’s seventh from 11 starts in Australia and took his earnings to more than $5.7m. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images.

But erasing the disappointment of Zaaki’s race-morning scratching from the Cox Plate is equally crucial for connections.

“I’d love to take him back over to Royal Ascot,” Neasham said.

“But I’d also love to win the Cox Plate with him because it was devastating what happened last year.

“Whether we can do England and come back for a Cox Plate, I don’t know.

“We could win a Cox Plate with him and go overseas next year.”

European observers decry the standard of Australian weight-for-age and staying races.

But Neasham said criticism of the local scene would not stop her from taking Zaaki to England to race if circumstances allow.

“I don’t understand or get into all the ratings enough but I notice the Timeform ratings have been excellent,” Neasham said.

“I just know that in this country, we’ve got great racing and great prizemoney.

“I’m sure if the English want to dumb it down, they can. I don’t listen to any of that, I just enjoy having this horse and winning races with him.”

reductio ad absurdum
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lord Hybrow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 May 2022 at 11:15pm
Burst through the $7m prize money mark with the win in the Hollindale Cup at Southport today.

Incredibly good body of work in 3 preparations over the past 12 months:

2021 Hollindale Cup
2021 Doomben Cup
2021 Q22 Stks
2021 Tramway Stakes
2021 Underwood Stks
2021 Mackinnon Stks
2022 All Star Mile
2022 Hollindale Cup

That’s some CV he’s built up & likely to add further wins in 2022.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Pardon_My_Dust Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 May 2022 at 2:56pm
Didn't win like the good thing we thought he was though. I wonder if he really relishes the heavy tracks I'm not sure he enjoys them too much TBH.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Gay3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 May 2022 at 3:20pm
Stable spokesman on RSN this morning said it's definitely not his preferred surface, he's just a true professional.

Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Gay3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 May 2022 at 4:05pm

Zaaki gives J-Mac wild ride in Hollindale defence

He was playing up for the cameras on Friday, by Saturday not much had changed with James McDonald wishing he had a seatbelt to strap himself in for the ride on a boisterous Zaaki in the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m).

The king of Queensland was back to claim his Hollindale Stakes crown, and while it didn’t go all to plan, Zaaki ($1.40) left punters in no doubt as to his rock star status.

Pre-race, trainer Annabel Neasham commented on Zaaki’s freshness, which left McDonald’s biggest task for the day staying on the gelding on the way to the gates.

It proved to be correct, with the seven-year-old bucking his way out of the mounting yard, leaving McDonald in for a wild ride.

BACK TO BACK HOLLINDALE'S FOR ZAAKI! 👊@ANeashamRacing@mcacajamez@GCTurfClubpic.twitter.com/8Co8ManvMv

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 7, 2022

“He’s King Kong and he knows it, I just wish there was a seatbelt I could use,” McDonald said.

“I knew the hardest part was going to be getting on him and getting him to the barriers.”

It was billed as a match race between Zaaki and up and comer Ayrton, but it proved to be no contest as Ayrton dropped out at the top of the straight after jockey Hugh Bowman served it up to McDonald on the turn.

In the end, it was the Chris Waller-trained duo of Polly Grey ($11) and Kukeracha ($41) going toe-to-toe with the champ.

“It was a long way from home, I thought we were in some strife and I said to myself ‘I’m not happy here’ but he is a superstar. I hope he doesn’t have to see track conditions like it again,” McDonald said.

Incredibly, McDonald credited a white bird for saving a tearaway Zaaki mid-race.

“He popped away OK and he glided through the first furlong well, then he copped a bump from the horse outside him, it spurred him on a bit, which wasn’t necessary,” he said.

“This is going to sound funny, a white bird crossed the track and he baulked at it, it pulled him up for two furlongs. It was a funny thing for him to shy at, but it worked in our favour because if he kept going at that speed, I wouldn’t have been going anywhere.”

Ultimately, Ayrton was found to be displaying mild lameness post-race, leaving question marks over his Doomben Cup campaign.

Zaaki’s connections could have had top hats and tails on at Royal Ascot, instead they opted to campaign on the glitter strip, but the sodden Gold Coast track could have been mistaken for one served up in England.

Even after racing on heavy tracks throughout the Sydney autumn, McDonald said Saturday’s track at the Gold Coast was a different beast all together.

“Sydney tracks are really loose, when they get rain, they go to pieces, so horses with a high cruising speed and a good action go through it,” he said.

“ … Look at the stewards reports for lost shoes, it is that gluey, good horses find it very hard, it is so gluey and deep.

“It is beautiful and safe but it’s not to his liking, he was working and working and working so he never got a rest, the performance was better than it looked.

It puts Neasham’s superstar on track for the $200,000 “Zaaki bonus”, where he is now a $1.65 favourite for the $1m Doomben Cup (2000m) in a fortnight’s time.

A clear $7.50 second favourite, Bowman said Ayrton’s performance raised question marks over his ability to see out a staying trip.

“Put it this way, to get out over any further distance than today he would have to relax a lot better than he did today,” Bowman said.

“But having said that the track is very heavy today so it’s hard to be overly critical of any horse.”

Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Pardon_My_Dust Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 May 2022 at 4:26pm
Fair dinkum as if Ayrton who beat Streets of Avalon and Excelida last start was going to sit outside Zaaki and beat him. LOL
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote djebel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 May 2022 at 10:18pm
Ayrton raced a little keen. 

When question in relation to the below market expectation performance jockey H Bowman reported that the gelding over raced on its wrong leg during the middle stages of the event which in his opinion was the major contributing factor to the poor performance. A post-race veterinary examination revealed the gelding to be mildly lame in the near-foreleg. The trainer’s representative for the Price/Kent jnr stable was advised they would be required to obtain a veterinary certificate for the gelding prior to it next racing
reductio ad absurdum
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lord Hybrow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 May 2022 at 7:56pm
Didn’t offer much fight in the Doomben Cup, barely clinging onto 3rd placing.  

What to we make of the run?

His last 2 starts were on bog tracks, so perhaps those efforts took its toll & there was no ping in his legs today?

Q22 run is probably doubtful now, so I guess we’ll see him again in the Spring.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Shawy38 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 May 2022 at 9:23pm
Annabel mentioned post race he will be going to the paddock now. Spring goal Cox Plate.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JudgeHolden Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 May 2022 at 10:56pm
Average French horse beats average French horse. Australian horse racing in a nutshell right there.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JudgeHolden Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 May 2022 at 11:01pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote VOYAGER Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 May 2022 at 7:05pm
I know they blamed the gluey surface last start but for Polly Grey and Kukeracha to make good ground off him late he looked like a tired horse.

Good spell and back for Melbourne in the spring!
Remember, it might take intelligence to be smart , but it takes experience to be wise
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Second Chance Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 May 2022 at 7:33pm
Though insufficient time for a "good spell" one would've thought Voyager.  

Have been away a few days so the following will almost certainly have already been expressed, however irrespective of the surface a peak of fitness Zaaki would surely have beaten that lot by many, many panels.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Second Chance Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 May 2022 at 8:12pm
ps the Doomben Cup run as it is when most higher class gallopers are just returning to work following a post Melb/Syd campaign spell, has for years been contested and won by 3rd graders, Zaaki and just a few excepted, as the following suggests.  

  • 2022 - Huetor[6]
  • 2021 - Zaaki[7]
  • 2019 - Kenedna[8]
  • 2018 - Comin' Through[9]
  • 2017 - Sense Of Occasion[10]
  • 2016 - Our Ivanhowe[11]
  • 2015 - Pornichet[12]
  • 2014 - Streama[13]
  • 2013 - Beaten Up[14]
  • 2012 - Mawingo[15]
  • 2011 - Scenic Shot[16]
  • 2010 - Metal Bender[17]
  • 2009 - Scenic Shot[18]
  • 2008 - Sarrera[19]
  • 2007 - Cinque Cento[20]
  • 2006 - Above Deck[21]
  • 2005 - Perlin[22]
  • 2004 - Defier[23]
  • 2003 - Bush Padre[24]
  • 2002 - Mr. Bureaucrat[25]
  • 2001 - King Keitel[26]
  • 2000 - Akhenaton[27]
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jamal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 May 2022 at 10:18pm
Originally posted by JudgeHolden JudgeHolden wrote:

Average French horse beats average French horse. Australian horse racing in a nutshell right there.

I've been saying it for a while now. No wait...you and me both have been saying it for a while. But as we know...most people on here are in denial. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jamal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 May 2022 at 10:21pm
Originally posted by JudgeHolden JudgeHolden wrote:

https://twitter.com/joekirley/status/1530391703831846912?s=20&t=meizOXq4SvltQQwJaZjp9w

I saw that tweet. Spot on. 

Plus as you and I both know? There are plenty of the Zaaki and State of Rest type horses in Europe that come to Australia and win Group 1s at 1600m+. 

Very sad for Australian racing mate. Cry
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (2) Thanks(2)   Quote Afros Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 May 2022 at 10:31pm
Do you mean State of Rest, who has won a G1 in both the USA and France as well as the Cox Plate, or Zaaki, who while not a G1 winner in Europe, was considered good enough to take to Hong Kong for the Hong Kong Mile?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote kiwi88 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 May 2022 at 11:17pm
Originally posted by Lord Hybrow Lord Hybrow wrote:

Didn’t offer much fight in the Doomben Cup, barely clinging onto 3rd placing.  

What to we make of the run?

His last 2 starts were on bog tracks, so perhaps those efforts took its toll & there was no ping in his legs today?

Q22 run is probably doubtful now, so I guess we’ll see him again in the Spring.

Seemed a lot to ask of the horse. All Star Mile, QE, then onto the Brisbane carnival. Hard to peak again and again at this level. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Balciano Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 May 2022 at 2:16am
The Track was updated to a Good 3 later in the program, he ran a similarly disappointing race in the Caulfield Stakes last Spring on a very firm surface...maybe a combination of this, and the long campaign took it's toll?

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Stainvita Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 May 2022 at 3:17pm
No mention of the ride by Macdonald, used Zaaki up early and was caught wide, then later on was also wide, not one of his better rides given it was a Group 1
If your hands aren't shaking you haven't put enough on.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Carioca Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 May 2022 at 4:20pm
When it's all said and done , a 4s on chance like this bloke should have been a walk in the park , raced like a tired horse to me with no kick left , maybe Randwick took out what was there , just my take on it .
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kiwi88 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 May 2022 at 5:09pm
He can be a bit unpredictable. Such as the day at Caulfield last year when he was at unbackable odds and Probabeel and Nonconformist went straight past him. People thought it was because of the mid race pressure that day. Maybe he's just a bit unreliable and goes out too short in the market. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote djebel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 May 2022 at 7:14pm
Originally posted by JudgeHolden JudgeHolden wrote:

https://twitter.com/joekirley/status/1530391703831846912?s=20&t=meizOXq4SvltQQwJaZjp9w

Whilst true on the face of it, it is rather a simpletons way of looking at it. 

The runner up came out here with plenty of upside. 

I reckon both would gone close in the Prix dispahan on Sunday.


Edited by djebel - 30 May 2022 at 7:15pm
reductio ad absurdum
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JudgeHolden Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Jun 2022 at 1:18am
Originally posted by djebel djebel wrote:

Originally posted by JudgeHolden JudgeHolden wrote:

https://twitter.com/joekirley/status/1530391703831846912?s=20&t=meizOXq4SvltQQwJaZjp9w

Whilst true on the face of it, it is rather a simpletons way of looking at it. 

The runner up came out here with plenty of upside. 

I reckon both would gone close in the Prix dispahan on Sunday.

Frenchie form is a bit like kiwi form. Sometime it’s ok, but no match for the serious form over the channel. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jamal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Jun 2022 at 9:04pm
Exactly right JudgeHolden 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Shawy38 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Nov 2022 at 5:17pm
12/10 ride by Kah. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Carioca Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Nov 2022 at 5:20pm
Great ride , and a damn good horse ! StarStarStar
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