Zelaina rockets into Queen Mary picture

Leader Live

04-06-2025

Just like last year's hero, Zelaina, a £650,000 breeze-up buy, is owned by Wathnan Racing and she may have propelled herself to the top of their pecking order.
Burke, who also won the PricedUp Pushes EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes two years ago with Bright Diamond who went on to finish third in the Queen Mary, had warned prior to the race the even-money favourite had even missed 10 days' work prior to the race.
Winning jockey James Doyle said of the two-and-three-quarter-length winner: 'She'd been doing the right things at home but Karl had had to give her an easy time leading into this so we were worried about fitness.
'She's shown at the breeze and at home that she's got an engine and she caught me by surprise out the gates, she must have got a few lengths, got up into that stride and away she went.
'She's quite hot, so we'll do a few little things to iron that out going into Ascot.
'You'd love to get a lead but when they have that much pace it is hard to do that. She had a blow and like Karl said she'd have a little niggle so I'd expect her to come on.
'It will be the Queen Mary I'd guess and I suppose she was a bit more impressive than Leovanni.'
Zelaina is now 4-1 joint-favourite for the Queen Mary alongside the Ger Lyons-trained Lady Iman.
Burke told Racing TV: 'She's very quick. If it wasn't for the little setback I'd have been very disappointed with anything other than a win. She'll come on for that.
'Leovanni was a different type, a bit more mature. This one isn't bad, she just likes to get on with things.
'If we can get her there in the form I think we can I'll be very happy.'
The Leyburn handler had already won the PricedUp Daily Sports Boosts Novice Stakes with another expensive newcomer in Reciprocated, but his 14-1 success was much less expected.
Burke said: 'I didn't expect him to win today, I'll be honest, as it looked a very hot race on paper.
'I said to Sheikh Mohammed Obaid (owner) this morning that I thought he'd run well and he's a lovely horse, but I didn't think he was capable of doing that first time.
'There's plenty of improvement in him so the future's good for him I think.
'It was a horrible draw, you hate being on the wing with two-year-olds, but I went through the race with Cliff (Lee) and it worked out well.
'I think he'll be better with a bit more cut in the ground and over seven furlongs as well.
'I don't think he's an Ascot two-year-old, but I'll speak to Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, I think he's more a July Stakes/Goodwood type.'