VRC Oaks plan for classy Zardozi
The James Cummings-trained Zardozi (Kingman) could be set for a tilt in the VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 2500m) on November 9 after she registered her first win at stakes level in yesterday’s Edward Manifold Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) at Flemington.
Having her first start beyond 1400 metres, the daughter of Juddmonte’s Kingman (Invincible Spirit) was ridden by Chad Schofield and seemed to thrive over the longer distance, showing brilliant cruising speed to shoot clear inside the final 200 metres, beating Aprilia (U S Navy Flag) by a length and a half, with a further three-quarters of a length back to Amazonian Lass (More Than Ready) in third.
Having won on all three of her outings as a juvenile, the filly has struggled to find her form this season, but Sean Keogh, Cummings’ Melbourne representative, said they had wanted the filly to get her confidence back.
“She had a wonderful start to her career with James in Sydney racking up those wins,” Keough said.
“After two disappointing runs up in grade, James saw that race last Sunday and thought it could get some confidence back.
“She had a good week, and James put the nomination in because she looked like a filly that is going to improve and get to a mile or further. It lined up beautifully, and it is super to get a win like that.
“It was a solid gallop [last Sunday], and we were mindful of that. She had a quiet enough week, and we took her out for a little hit out on Thursday and we knew she was going the right way.
“Off what she did last Sunday, we thought she would be quite competitive. Drawing barrier one again was something to think about and we also had a man on board [Schofield] with quite a significant record on her.
“She put three on the board, and I suppose James would have looked at her pedigree and earmarked race like the Oaks if she continued that form.”
Zardozi (3 f ex Kingman – Chanderi by Dubawi) is out of the unraced Dubawi (Dubai Millennium) mare Chanderi, who was bought by Godolphin Australia for a whopping 1,300,000gns at the 2017 edition of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.
Chanderi herself is out of Group 2 winner Silk Sari (Dalakhani) and hails from the same family as dual Group 1 winner Gossamer (Sadler’s Wells).
Chanderi has an unraced two-year-old colt called Adinath (Lonhro), who is in training with Cummings, while last year she produced a colt by Exceed And Excel (Danehill) and was served by Kingman’s Group 1-winning son, Palace Pier, last November.
With Zardozi’s victory in yesterday’s Group 2, Kingman’s overall stakes tally now stands at 72, while in Australia he is now represented by four stakes winners, headed by Group 1-winning colt King Colorado.
Kingman stood the 2023 northern hemisphere breeding season at Banstead Manor Stud for a fee of £125,000 (approx. AU$239,740).