SO HAZ’ ABOUT THAT?
DERMOT Weld appears to have another genuine Classic contender on his hands in the shape of Hazapour, who took a decisive step forward with victory in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial Stakes at Leopardstown yesterday.
Despite only having a maiden win to his name in three starts as a two-year-old, the Aga Khanowned Shamardal colt will now bid to emulate Harzand, who landed the Epsom Derby in 2016 after claiming this Group Three contest.
Sitting midfield for much of the mile-and-a-quarter contest, the 16/1 winner motored past the Aidan O’Brien-trained pair of Nelson and The Pentagon down the home straight, before defeating another Ballydoyle inmate, Delano Roosevelt, by three-quarters of a length.
Weld, who was winning the race for the ninth time, said: ‘He is a horse I’ve really liked. He is a very balanced colt. I thought he did it very nicely when he won his maiden at Galway.
‘The horse he beat easily of Aidan’s has been running at a good level. He has developed over the winter and has progressed very nicely.
‘He worked beautifully the other morning. He handles the ground well. He is a nephew of Harzand, so there is only one logical way to go with him to see if he can emulate his uncle and that’s the plan.
‘He is a lovely horse to train. He is stayer with speed and this has always been the plan.
‘This horse has very similar characteristics to Harzand. He is very tough and is a very genuine colt. He is very adaptable ground-wise.’
Zihba booked his ticket to the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas later in the month when maintaining his unbeaten record in the Amethyst Stakes.
Having posted a brace of victories on the all-weather at Dundalk, the Fozzy Stack-trained three-year-old made an instant impact on his switch to turf as he defeated his elders in the Group Three contest.
Stack said: ‘It is not easy beating those older horses, but he was getting the weight and he did it well.
‘I’m sure we will line up in the 2,000 Guineas. Whether he is good enough or not, we will see. He wants fast ground and we’ve kind of waited for it. We thought about going for the Tetrarch or the Craven, but this is where we ended up coming in the end.’
Who’s Steph continued her upward curve when claiming the second Pattern-race success of her career with victory in the Derrinstown Stud 1,000 Guineas Trial.