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Zardozi lays down challenge to NZ raider

3 minute read

Oaks winner Zardozi has bounced back to her best in the Phar Lap Stakes.

ZARDOZI winning the CHANDON PHAR LAP STAKES at Rosehill in Australia.
ZARDOZI winning the CHANDON PHAR LAP STAKES at Rosehill in Australia. Picture: Steve Hart

James Cummings is welcoming a clash with star New Zealand filly Orchestral after Zardozi served a reminder of her talents with a dashing victory in the Phar Lap Stakes at Rosehill.

The pair is on a collision course towards the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) in two weeks and Cummings believes it will be an intriguing match-up.

"That will be interesting. She is a good filly Orchestral," Cummings said.

"But you can't have a short memory, you've only got to open up the replays from October and see what she (Zardozi) was doing in the spring."

Zardozi was a brilliant winner of the VRC Oaks in November, while Orchestral has won her past four starts, culminating in a New Zealand Derby victory.

While the former disappointed first-up when she got back in a slowly run Surround Stakes (1400m), she showed her true colours with a brilliant performance on Saturday.

It came off the back of a well-executed plan by visiting English jockey Tom Marquand, who allowed Zardozi ($13) to find her feet early before creeping into the race before the corner.

He saved valuable ground along the inside before sooling Zardozi to the front halfway up the straight to score by two lengths over Makarena ($4) with Kintyre ($6.50) a nose away third.

Cummings says Zardozi will be better again when stretched out to a middle-distance in the Vinery.

"She is a class act. You've got to be prepared to forgive her for her first-up effort, there was a lot that went against her," Cummings said.

"And yet she pulled up from the run well, she has trained on sweetly since then, so we stuck to our guns.

"The Phar Lap is a perfect race for her as a stepping stone to the Vinery (Stud Stakes) and now she gets back to 2000 in a couple of weeks, she is going to look spot-on."

Fillies have now won seven of the past eight renewals of the Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) but Saturday was the first time either Cummings or Marquand had captured the race.

Marquand said all credit for the success went to Godolphin's head trainer and his assistant Darren Beadman, who presented him with a winning game plan.

"I won't take any credit for that one," Marquand said.

"That was James and Darren's masterplan, all I did was jump out of the stalls and execute what they were saying they thought would work.

"She's proven she's a very good filly before. She didn't need to step up on what she's been doing in the past to do that."


Racing and Sports

Rosehill

Saturday, 16th March 2024

7
16:00
(local)

CHANDON PHAR LAP STAKES (G2)

Age: 3yo Type: OPEN
AUD $302,000
1500m TURF SOFT
7
16:00
(local)
AUD $302,000
1500m SOFT

CHANDON PHAR LAP STAKES (G2)

Age: 3yo Type: OPEN


FP Silk Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
Trainer
SP
WT
1st 11. ZARDOZI (AUS) 3yo F
KINGMAN (GB) - CHANDERI (GB)
TOM MARQUAND
JAMES CUMMINGS
$13
55kg
Godolphin
2nd 14. MAKARENA (AUS) 3yo F
SNITZEL (AUS) - WECANSAY MAK (AUS)
TIM CLARK
M, W & J HAWKES
$4
54.5kg
Mrs J E Hawkes, Mrs C A Hawkes, Mrs J E Hawkes, G R Lechte & Mrs C A Lechte

Sales Information

3rd 6. KINTYRE (AUS) 3yo G
HALLOWED CROWN (AUS) - MULL OVER (AUS)
JASON COLLETT
GARY PORTELLI
$6.5
56.5kg
Laurel Oak, Bundalong Racing (Mgr: J Gunston), R I Cullen, E L H Cullen, J T O'Brien, J Davis, C Morony, M W Powell, V I Latimore, A N Fitzgerald, K A Tibbey, Whinging Poms (Mgr: J T Fathers), J V Murphy, B Pendlebury, D Hanckel & T Hutchinson
4th 2. LES VAMPIRES (AUS) 3yo C
PIERRO (AUS) - MUSIDORA (AUS)
ADAM HYERONIMUS
G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT
$3.25
56.5kg

Sales Information

5th 10. NOISY BOY (AUS) 3yo G
REAL STEEL (JPN) - NORTHERN MODEL (AUS)
JAY FORD
TODD HOWLETT
$101
56.5kg

Sales Information

6th 3. TANNHAUSER (AUS) 3yo C
DUNDEEL (NZ) - LUQYAA (AUS)
JOSH PARR
CHRIS WALLER
$41
56.5kg

Sales Information

7th 4. HEMAN (AUS) 3yo C
I AM INVINCIBLE (AUS) - NAYELI (AUS)
NASH RAWILLER
PETER & PAUL SNOWDEN
$19
57kg

Sales Information

8th 5. SALTCOATS (NZ) 3yo G
ARDROSSAN (AUS) - SAVANITE (NZ)
JAMES MCDONALD
CHRIS WALLER
$4.6
56.5kg
9th 7. OUR COUVER (AUS) 3yo G
VANCOUVER (AUS) - MAJESTY (AUS)
JOHN ALLEN
JEROME HUNTER
$61
56.5kg

Sales Information

10th 8. RAVELLO (NZ) 3yo G
SAVABEEL (AUS) - COVER CHARGE (USA)
TOMMY BERRY
JOHN O'SHEA
$61
56.5kg

Sales Information

11th 1. RAF ATTACK (NZ) 3yo C
SATONO ALADDIN (JPN) - SIMA (AUS)
REGAN BAYLISS
G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT
$11
56.5kg

Sales Information

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