Zargos fulfils her promise

WELL-BRED mare Zargos enhanced her value as a broodmare when she powered her way to an impressive win in the $150,000 Group 3 Bow Mistress over 1200m at Elwick on Sunday.

With talented 3kg claiming Victorian apprentice Blaike McDougall aboard, the David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig-trained fouryear-old burst through a narrow gap in the home straight to go on and score a convincing win from the luckless Deroche and Twitchy Frank.

None of the trainers were at the meeting but stable representative Gary Fennessy said the Bow Mistress had been on the drawing board for some time as one of the mare’s main targets this season.

“We always believed this mare would be suited to this race and we wanted to keep her fresh because that’s when she races best,” Fennessy said.

“We were very pleased with her last start at Flemington and that convinced us to bring her to Tasmania for this race and it was a very good ride from Blaike.

“We will more than likely take her to Launceston in a fortnight for the other Group 3 mares race (Vamos Stakes) over 1400m.”

While Zargos (ShamardalSister Rocks) was impressive, there is no doubt the threeyear-old Tasmanian filly Deroche should have won had she been able to secure clear racing room in the home straight.

Rider Craig Newitt had Deroche (Needs FurtherBuzzing Along) perfectly placed one-off and three pairs back with the eventual winner tracking his mount throughout.

When Newitt wanted to make his run he looked to his right and eased out but Twitchy Frank (John Allen) kept him in the pocket for 100 metres and while that battle ensued, McDougall drove Zargos through the gap on their inside and that move won the race.

Twitchy Frank hit the line well, so she will head to the Vamos to try and make it back-to-back wins in the Group 3 feature in a fortnight and Deroche also will get her chance to make up for the one that got away.

HOBART Cup runner-up Shady Hustle has pulled up well from her outing on Sunday and will most likely head to the Ladbrokes Launceston Cup in just over a fortnight.

The mare’s trainer, Stephen Lockhart, will make a decision closer to acceptance time, but he confirmed the mare’s owners are keen to see her progress to the Launceston event over 2400m.

“Right at the moment we will head to Launceston but if she doesn’t get there she has already done a good job.

“Launceston is her favourite track, so that’s another reason why we would like to run in the Lonny Cup.”

The John Blacker-trained Glass Warrior was a game third to Toorak Affair and she too is expected to head to the Launceston Cup.

Records show that this was the first time Tasmanian mares made up the trifecta in a Hobart Cup and they could mirror that in the Launceston Cup. Toorak Affair has the chance to snare the Ladbrokes Cups Double bonus of $100,000 that is shared equally between the owner and trainer.