Second choice on the board, Zakouski (GB) (Shamardal) just nipped heavy favourite Mythical Magic (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) by a neck in a blanket finish in the $250,000 G2 Zabeel Mile going a mile over the Meydan grass on Thursday. It was a similar margin back to Dream Castle (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in third, with pacesetter Salute The Soldier (Ger) (Sepoy {Aus}) another neck behind in fourth. Charlie Appleby trained the first two home, with Saeed bin Suroor's Dream Castle giving Godolphin the trifecta.
Content to race in fourth against the fence as Salute The Soldier raced on the engine several lengths ahead, the 4-year-old colt relaxed beautifully under James Doyle. Mythical Magic dogged Salute the Soldier just off that rival's right shoulder and got first run on the pacesetter at the top of the lane. Zakouski was winding up for his run as the top pair exchanged blows and began to rally inside the final 150 metres, with Dream Castle letting down to his outside. That pair pounced a few strides before the wire, with Zakouski flashing the superior turn of foot, as Mythical Magic hung on for second over Dream Castle. Salute the Soldier was a game fourth, with the top quartet covered by under a length.
“To be honest, not at any stage did I think he would win until probably the final 100m,” said James Doyle. “He seemed to find the ground a bit loose today, but you have to remember that was just his fourth career start and he has beaten three tough customers already proven at this level. He hit the line well and hopefully he'll have a nice campaign now from here. I think he'll take a big step forward from today.”
Added Appleby, “We know Mythical Magic had solid form and at home was the better work horse. You just have to go back to Zakouski when he broke his maiden over a good horse at Kempton and has always had ability. It will be interesting to see [if he'll go farther] and what James says. I'm delighted with the results.”
“He had a similar race to what he had last year in the race,” said Mythical Magic's jockey William Buick. “He's obviously a year older and he ran very well. It's just that Mythical Magic had been there and done that and was a safe bet, but I knew [Zakouski] was an improver.”
A debut winner at Kempton in November of 2018, Zakouski ran fifth in his only start of last year–the G3 Craven S. that April. Put away for 267 days, he emerged with a solid handicap victory over course-and-distance on Jan. 9.
Pedigree Notes
One of 145 black-type winners and 74 group winners for his sire, Zakouski is bred on the same Shamardal/Octagonal cross as G3 Oak Tree S. heroine Amy Eria (Ire) and similarly to Australian MG1SW and G1 VRC Oaks heroine Faint Perfume (Aus), whose dam is by Octagonal's sire Zabeel (NZ). The third group winner for his dam, the unraced O'Giselle, Zakouski (GB)'s older half-brother Albrecht (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}) landed an Australian Group 3 and was second in the G1 Golden Rose S., while his year-younger half-brother King's Command (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) claimed last year's G3 Prix Thomas Bryon in France. His dam, a full-sister to Australian Horse of the Year Lonhro (Aus) and their full-brother MG1SW Niello (Aus), foaled a yearling colt by Shooting to Win (Aus) as her latest progeny.
Thursday, Meydan, Middle East
ZABEEL MILE (SPONSORED BY AL TAYER MOTORS)-G2, $250,000, Meydan, 2-20, NH4yo/up & SH3yo/up, 1600mT, 1:35.93, gd.
1–ZAKOUSKI (GB), 126, c, 4, by Shamardal
1st Dam: O'Giselle (Aus), by Octagonal (NZ)
2nd Dam: Shadea (NZ), by Straight Strike
3rd Dam: Concia (NZ), by First Consul
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Godolphin (GB);
T-Charlie Appleby; J-James Doyle. $150,000. Lifetime Record:
4-3-0-0, $238,069. *1/2 to Albrecht (Aus) (Redoute's Choice
{Aus}), GSW & G1SP-Aus, $454,634; and King's Command (GB)
(Dubawi {Ire}), GSW-Fr. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Mythical Magic (Ire), 126, g, 5, Iffraaj (GB)–Mythie (Fr), by
Octagonal (NZ). (140,000gns Wlg '15 TATNOV). O-Godolphin;
B-Peter Kelly & Ms Wendy Daly (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby.
$50,000.
3–Dream Castle (GB), 126, g, 6, Frankel%20(GB)#tot">Frankel (GB)–Sand Vixen (GB),
by Dubawi (Ire). O-Godolphin; B-Darley (GB); T-Saeed bin
Suroor. $25,000.
Margins: NK, NK, NK.
Also Ran: Salute the Soldier (Ger), Zainhom, Eqtiraan (Ire), Golden Jaguar.
Click for the Racing Post result or the Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.
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