Zebra Finch eyes Group 1 JJ Atkins glory after Rosehill triumph

Courier-Mail

2 days ago

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Progressive Godolphin colt Zebra Finch will be given the opportunity to emulate his big-hitting stablemate Broadsiding, earning himself a crack at the JJ Atkins Stakes after lowering the boom on a couple of his more fancied rivals at Rosehill on Saturday.
Yesterday's seven-horse affair held more interest than most of the other nine races on the Lord Mayor's Cup undercard given it overflowed with JJ Atkins aspirants including the Chris Waller duo Hidden Achievement and pricey Frankel colt, Sarapo.
The Waller pair were expected to fight out on the finish as they had when they met at Gosford on Cup Day but were unable to make the same impact this time despite racing at home.
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Both horses were marked at $15 to win the JJ Atkins prior to their respective efforts yesterday.
Hidden Achievement blew out to $26 while Sarapo was wound out to $51.
Zebra Finch, meanwhile, had his price halved from $51 into $26 for the June 14 feature and carrying the imprimatur of one of the sport's champions.
'If he pulls up well, I'd send him up there, because he is going to get a mile,'' winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy said after the Schweppes Handicap (1300m).
'You obviously need a horse that runs a mile and you need a horse on the improve and that's possibly what he is going to be.
' It wasn't a big winning margin but I am sure with a better quality horse to aim at, he is going to be better again.
'He is the sort of colt that only does enough (but) I am sure if he got challenged there was an extra kick in the lock.
'So if James (Cummings) and the team decide to go to Brisbane for that mile race, I wouldn't be against it.'
At least one of the Waller-trained runners from the race looks likely to still make his way up to Brisbane for the last Group 1 two-year-old feature of the season with a decision pending on the other.
Yu Long Investments colt Hidden Achievement clocked in third behind Zebra Finch with future Guineas/Derby colt Sarapo three lengths behind in sixth.
'The race lacked tempo, it was a sit and sprint,'' assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth began.
'When Adam (Hyernonimus) won on Hidden Achievement last start, he was mindful that he probably rode him too close that day and took him out of his comfort zone. But he drew so well in a small field today that we basically had to do the same again.
'Adam's adamant that when you can put the bit in his mouth a little bit better, he'll have a better turn of foot.
'Adam is strongly pushing for Chris (to go to Brisbane with him). He said 'I don't care if I ride him or not but you should be running the horse in the JJ', that's his opinion.'
As for pricey $750,000 Magic Millions Yearling purchase Sarapo, Team Waller will let the dust settle on the colt's second career start before they decide on his next move.
'He was obviously a long way back off a soft tempo,'' Duckworth explained.
'He is going to be a miler at three you'd imagine, it's just whether you try and break through for that maiden win at two.
'Obviously he is by Frankel so if he ends up in the breeding barn, they're going to be worried about him if he doesn't win at two so it might be an important start for him or do we just look after him and just trust that he'll measure up at three.''
As for Zebra Finch, his own stud career will naturally hinge on the outcome of the JJ Atkins but Darley would dearly love to add another Group 1 winning son of Exceed And Excel to their roster.
Not only is Zebra Finch by one of the truly global stallions of the modern era, his dam was a handy performer herself and by Lonhro who holds the rare honour of being crowned both Australian Horse of the Year and Champion General Sire.
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Tough as teak gelding Mickey's Medal helped edge the former rodeo rider Braith Nock one step closer to a medal collection of his own as the race for Sydney's Champion Apprentice enters the home straight.
Nock and former Riverina whiz Molly Bourke are locked in an arm wrestle to decide who will join an Honour Roll that includes the likes of Jack Thompson, George Moore, Ron Quinton, Malcolm Johnston, Wayne Harris and Darren Beadman.
Nock's win on the Annabell and Rob Archibald-trained Mickey's Medal extended his lead over Bourke by five metropolitan wins with August 1 now exactly two months away.
Sitting three-wide with no cover may not have been the text-book ride from Nock on Mickey's Medal but it proved to be the winning formula on a day where it paid to be away from the inside fence.
'Everyone just seemed to take their time to get their spots and all of a sudden there were people inside me,' Nock explained.
'(But) it was a slow tempo and he was able to travel really good.
'Actually, he was really relaxed coming to the 600m and I had to wake him up and then I was able to idle-up and I still think he might have had a little bit of a think about it things once we got there, but he got left alone for a long time so it was a really good effort.
'He seems to be just relishing his racing and he tries his best every time.'
Yesterday's Precise Air Handicap (1500m) was the gelding's sixth run of the current campaign.
His $82,500 collect was a tangible reward to effort on his part, drawing some high praise from the stable.
'It was brilliant to see him win,' stable representative Megan O'Leary said.
'I was almost waiting for (runner-up) Hopper to come down the outside of us but he really deserved that win, he's been running so well this prep.'
Mickey's Medal was sold twice before he ever saw a racetrack.
The great-grandson of broodmare gem Shantha's Choice was secured for $70,000 as a weanling before being reoffered at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale where he fetched $225,000.
Originally published as Godolphin colt Zebra Finch pushes for Group 1 JJ Atkins start after his impressive victory at Rosehill