Zavite Wins Auckland Cup
- Wednesday, 10 March 2010 11:26
Zavite (7 B. G. Zabeel – Miss Vita, by Alleged), trained by Anthony Cummings and ridden by Damien Oliver, proved a class above his opponents when winning the $1 million, Group One Stella Artois Auckland Cup over 3200 metres at Ellerslie on Wednesday, in one of the fastest times for the race in recent years.
Carrying the number one saddlecloth and top weight of 57.5 kilograms, Zavite covered the two mile journey in 3:18.96 to give Oliver another New Zealand cup to go with the Wellington Cup he won aboard Ed in 1995, in the same year he combined with Doriemus for his first Melbourne Cup success.
Media Puzzle provided Oliver with his second Melbourne Cup victory in 2002.
The 37-year-old Oliver had not ridden a winner in New Zealand for 10 years with his previous Kiwi success being in the 1998 NZ Derby on So Casual, however Oliver was aboard the Paul Perry-trained Dantelah in the 1999 Group 1 Telegraph Stakes when relegated to second on protest in a controversial decision.
Bred in New Zealand by Fairdale Stud, Zavite was the only offering by the stud at the Australian Easter Yearling Sale in 2004, where Cummings made the purchase for $80,000.
Owned by A Blood, K Falconer, Mr G Clare & Ms J L Clare, Mr K S Ince & Ms J M Ince & Mr M J Dalling & Ms S I Dalling, Zavite has now won ten of his fifty starts for earnings of $1,109,934.
As Grand Affair assured a genuine pace, Oliver settled Zavite in twelfth position, remaining there before being set alight at the 700 metres.
Such was the acceleration by Zavite that he ranged to lead within 200 metres and set sail for the line with a three length advantage straightening for the 400 metre run home.
Without appearing under threat from that point on, Zavite found another gear at the 150 metre mark and powered clear to win by three and a quarter lengths.
Ridden by Glen Boss, second placed Booming could not bridge the gap, yet announced his promise for the future with his performance.
Third place went the way of outsider Tin Goose, who capitalized on his liking for the track with a career best effort, under rider Trudy Thornton.
The winner of the race twelve months ago, Spin Around, produced a run in keeping with the excellent condition in which he presented, when finishing fourth.
Minqar Qaim finished fifth.
Oliver said, “They went pretty hard from the gate and I thought I’d pop in behind them and get him to relax. He was settled nice and coming to the turn I had some good chances in front of me, but they weren’t going near as good as this bloke. So, I thought, no use doing anything pretty. He just sort of cruised up and was jogging on the turn. He kicked well, I might have gone a bit early, but he was just going so well. It was a comprehensive win and a good effort under the weight.”
Plenty of money came for Zavite as post time arrived, closing as the favourite and returning $4.70 & $2.10.
Oliver gave substance to the late betting move when saying, “It was a good win last start with sixty kilos and Anthony said the horse had thrived since he’d been here.”
Zavite had been successful at his previous start when carrying the big weight to victory over 2500 metres at Moonee Valley on February 26
Cummings said the reason for the Trans-Tasman assignment was the big stake money on offer.
“It is one million dollars, and even if it’s Kiwi it’s still good. This puts New Zealand up there on the world stage and if you want to keep doing that then this is what you’ve got to do.”, Cummings said.
“I left the riding decisions to Damien (Oliver). There looked on paper to be good speed out of the gates. There were some question marks about the staying ability of a lot of them. He played a waiting game. He helped him carry the weight and made the right move coming toward the turn.”
Cummings spoke of his long association with Fairdale Stud, while Gerald Fell from Fairdale remembered back to Zavite as a yearling, and paid homage to the patience the trainer.
Fell said, “He was the lowest mongrel of a horse as a yearling and he was climbing the walls and sweating up at the sales. He could have been a disaster if had got into the wrong hands, but he went to a sympathetic trainer who has done a fantastic job with him. It’s a fairytale because he was an unlikely and challenging yearling.”
Cummings said, “I’ve been looking at Fairdale’s draft since I was fourteen and I won’t stop now. They’re good breeders, they’ve been breeding and selling horses for three generations while a lot of others have gone by the wayside and I sort of cut my teeth on New Zealand yearlings. I don’t try and beat New Zealand bred horses I just get in with them.”
“There was no rap for him as a yearling, but he’s lived up to every expectation of what I thought I was buying”, said Cummings.
