On a card that saw some major upsets in Group 1 action, short-priced favorite Tarzino (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) lived up to all the hype and earned his first stakes score in Flemington's G1 Victoria Derby, the feature on the opening day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival. Racing a keen fourth on the heels of the pacesetters around the first bend, Tarzino was taken back by jockey Craig Newitt to race in midpack as the field strung out down the backstretch, with Iron Boss (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) charging forward to set a solid pace from Shards (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro). Moving up to join the leaders four-wide as the field began to mow down the frontrunners at the top of the lane, Tarzino swept to the lead approaching the 300 meter mark under minimal urging and had Etymology (Aus) (New Approach {Ire}) well held at the line. Kia Ora Koutou (Aus) (Blackfriars {Aus}) closed in vain to be third.
“He's outstanding, he's just an outstanding stayer,” Newitt told Racing and Sports. “He's got class written all over him. I've had criticism for the way I've been riding him but he's not a push-button horse to ride. I got to the top of the straight today and I had a lap full of horse.”
Saturday, Flemington, Australia
VICTORIA DERBY-G1, A$1,510,000, VRC, 10-31, 3yo, Open Set Weight, 2500mT, 2:38.39, Soft.
1–&@#TARZINO (NZ), 55.5, c, 3, by Tavistock (NZ)
1st Dam: Zarzino (NZ), by Zabeel (NZ)
2nd Dam: Kindness (NZ), by Star Way (GB)
3rd Dam: Vice Reine (NZ), by Amalgam (USA)
(NZ$45,000 Ylg 2014 NZB National Yearling Sale; A$60,000 Ylg
2014 MM National Yearling Sale) O-M G Price, Dr C G Lawler,
Mrs M Jurie, J G Bebedellis, Mrs C Price, G Bebedellis, J J
McNicholas, G Alas, J P Bergin, R A & J E Ferguson Partnership
Syndicate; B-Sir Patrick & Lady Hogan, Waikato, NZ; T-M G
Price; J-C Newitt; A$910,000. Lifetime Record: 6-3-0-2,
A$1,006,050. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Etymology, 55.5, c, 3, New Approach (IRE)–Weaver of Words
(GB), by Danehill (USA). O-Godolphin; B-Darley NSW; T-J A
O'Shea; J-J B Mc Donald; A$270,000.
3–Kia Ora Koutou, 55.5, g, 3, Blackfriars–Kia Ora Miss, by Jeune
(GB). O-G F Durrant, A T Wilson, E G Moore; B-Mr GF Durrant
WA; T-A G Durrant; J-Joseph Azzopardi; A$135,000.
Margins: 2.0 len, 6.5 len, 6.7 len. Odds: 1.90, 12.00, 5.50.
Also Ran: Red Alto, Pay Up Bro, Colonel Custer (NZ) , Scadden's Run, Lizard Island, Shards, Palace Tycoon, Get the Picture, Ayers Rock, Jadeer, Extra Choice (NZ) , Man of Choice, Iron Boss.
Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.
Having made his first start–third in maiden at Pakenham–less than four months ago, Tarzino has improved rapidly under the care of trainer Mick Price, and the Caulfield-based conditioner was predicting further improvement after Saturday's score. Off the mark Aug. 27 in a Ballarat maiden over 1400 meters, Tarzino added a Caulfield handicap going a mile Sept. 19 and was beaten four lengths when seventh in the G1 Caulfield Guineas Oct. 10. Jumping up to 2040 meters two weeks later for Moonee Valley's G2 The Vase, Tarzino showed more spark over the added distance, finishing third, beaten two lengths. Price revealed the dark bay will now go for a spell and will then have a light autumn campaign, with lofty goals likely for this time next year.
“It's a great sense of relief,” Price said. “He was a $2.60 favorite. It's a nice problem to have, but they've still got to go out there and win. “You'll see him in the Cox Plate, the Melbourne Cup [next year]. He's a good horse.”
The victory marked back-to-back scores in this contest for New Zealand-bred direct descendants of that country's late great Zabeel (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}); last year's winner, Preferment (NZ), was by that multiple champion sire, who died last month, while Tarzino is out of one of his daughters. Tarzino was bred by Sir Patrick and Lady Hogan, who bred Zabeel and stood him at their Cambridge Stud, where they also stand Tavistock, a son of Montjeu (Ire) who has also produced this year's G1 Rosehill Guineas winner Volkstok'n'barrel (NZ) and who was last season's champion second-season sire in New Zealand. Tarzino's dam, Zarzino, has a yearling full-brother to him.
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