New Zealand fishing family haul in another big one
Aegon’s owners prepare for another hectic Saturday across the Tasman
Sporting a distinct set of racing silks that represent the Italian flag, Aegon (Sacred Falls) flashed home to win the Hobartville Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) last start, announcing to the world that we will be seeing a bit more of the green, white and red on the major stage this autumn.
Aegon is raced by the Zames, an Italian fishing family in New Zealand who, four generations ago, migrated to Gisborne and established what is now a highly successful fishing business called East Rock that boasts a fleet of trawlers also decked out in the colours of their home country.
It was not that long ago they were lured into racehorse ownership and in only a short space of time they have landed two high–class horses.
First, they owned ATC Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Jon Snow (Iffraaj) and now Aegon, who is unbeaten in five starts and is a leading contender for this Saturday’s $1 million Randwick Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m).
“It’s surreal and has been the whole way through. The burst of speed he showed last time really blew us away, it’s pinch yourself sort of stuff,” said part-owner Bart Zame.
“All I know is it’s been a hell of a fun time since we bought him until now and the excitement is something very difficult to describe.”
Aegon was selected at the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale by his co-trainer Andrew Forsman, who also found Jon Snow for them.
“I really loved him as a yearling. As a type he was very athletic and a beautiful mover and had a fair bit of quality about him,” sad Forsman, who trains in partnership with Murray Baker.
“I was determined to buy him. I didn’t have any owners in mind and bought him on spec and worried about the rest later on. The first people I called were the Zame family.”
Bart Zame recalls the day he and his father received that phone call from Forsman.
“It was almost by chance. Tony, my father, and I were at the sales and chatting with Andrew and we weren’t really looking for another one,” he said.
“Then my dad said, ‘Andrew if you find something you really, really like, give us a bell’ and then he did 30 minutes later on our way back home to Tauranga.”
Forsman backed his own good judgement and stayed in the horse for a small share and together they are now enjoying a pretty rapid ascent up the Group 1 mountain.
“They don’t all end up like this but it’s gone perfectly so far and says more about the horse’s raw ability than anything,” said Forsman.
“He has, in some ways, been easy to train and has so much ability. A lot of times in the running he can get out of trouble and good horses do that despite things going wrong.
“Touch wood, that’s the good thing about him. He doesn’t put any undue pressure on himself.”
On Saturday, Aegon will be aiming to emulate the feats of Dundeel (High Chaparral), another horse Forsman was closely involved in the preparation of years ago when he worked under Murray Baker.
Dundeel, now a successful member of the Arrowfield Stud roster, won the 2013 edition of the Randwick Guineas before going on to further Group 1 success as a three-year-old in the Rosehill Guineas (2000m) and ATC Derby.
“He’s got a little way to go until he gets to those heights. Hopefully he has really improved and the signs were good last start that this guy is maturing and improving. He’s up in that league, he’s just got to prove it now,” said Forsman.
Forsman and his band of fellow owners, that includes Bart Zame, along with his 77-year-old father and 80-year-old uncle, can not be there at Randwick on Saturday due to continued Covid-19–related travel restrictions between New Zealand and Australia. So, instead, they will gather to watch it on the TV at the Zame family home in Mt Maunganui.
They are predicting another hectic afternoon with a group of close to 20 adults and children coming together this time to cheer on Aegon.
“Everyone up the street knows when our horse is racing,” said Zame.
“I tell you what, these horses bring people together like family and friends. It’s the racing game and without the racing game we wouldn’t have as much fun in life. Who knows, it might get someone else excited to go and buy a horse sometime.”