Spring Carnival Beckons For Zamask
- Tuesday, 13 July 2010 10:07
The Peter Moody stable may have unveiled a contender for the three-year-old classics later this year after Zamask won the $12,000 Max Blackiston Plate (1013m) at Sale on Tuesday.
The unraced two-year-old daughter of Zabeel box-seated in fourth position before gradually grabbing the lead from dual city placegetter and early pacemaker Magic Of Emma to win by just under half a length on the line.
Zamask ($1.90-$2.20 fav) defeated Magic Of Emma ($2.50-$2.70-$2.60) by a long neck with A City Girl ($10-$21) a further 2-3/4 lengths away in third.
Winning rider Luke Nolen said he expected a forward showing from Zamask.
“She’s very well educated,” Nolen said.
“She sprung the gates well and settled closer to the speed then we originally thought.
“They controlled the speed over the 1000 metre trip but we were always in control of the race,” he added.
Based on Tuesday’s victory, a race such as the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) in October doesn’t appear to be improbable.
Nolen’s willingness to discuss the long-term future of Zamask immediately after unsaddling lends itself to thinking such a monumental victory might be on the cards.
“It’s important to get her maiden win out of the way.”
“We hold a high opinion of her and she’ll be better as a three-year-old.
“We’ve laid the foundation for her now and I’m sure she’ll enjoy an exciting career,” Nolen added.
Zamask is the first foal to come out of the stakes winning mare Royal Mask.
Royal Mask herself is from the same dam as Masked Assassin, a one-time Group 1 placegetter who won the Group 2 Queensland Sires’ Produce (1600m) at Eagle Farm in June 2007.
Picture: Fiona Tomlin
