Zapateo seeks G1 Robert Sangster Stakes glory
DUBAI: High-class sprinter Zapateo is in the twilight of her racing career but Godolphin Australia head trainer James Cummings believes his mare is in the best form of her life and capable of adding another Group 1 to her CV.
Zapateo, winner of the Group 1 Galaxy over 1,100m at Rosehill Gardens last month, contests the G1 Robert Sangster Stakes at Morphetville on Saturday.
The five-year-old notched her sixth Stakes-race victory and took her prize-money earnings past $1.74 million in Sydney, prompting Cummings to plan another Adelaide assault.
Zapateo was placed in the Sangster and the G1 Goodwood Handicap from wide barriers during South Australia’s major carnival last year.
Against fillies and mares, a more-seasoned Zapateo gets her chance for a second Group 1 win and she’s possibly in beter form 12 months later.
“Last year she came to Adelaide off the back of that excellent win in the Sapphire (Stakes, Randwick) at set weights and penalties,” Cummings said.
“And she was in excellent form having won the Birthday Card (Rosehill) before that.
“This year, ater being unlucky in this race last year, she comes straight to Adelaide ater winning the Group 1 Galaxy. “She’s a last-start Group 1 winner, so she’s in beter form this year.”
As a 112-handicap rater with only 2kg more than the three-year-olds under the weight-for-age scale, Zapateo looks well placed with Jamie Kah to ride from an ideal gate (3).
“She’s ready to run very well ater five weeks off and a couple of good lung-burners (gallops) since the Galaxy,” Cummings said.
“But I would also observe that this is a terrific
Sangster.
“There are some big names there and she’s going to have to be at her best.”
Although highly capable on good tracks, Zapateo is a five-time winner in Sot ground and would appreciate some give in the surface.
Elsewhere, Wild Pansy becomes the first Godolphin runner in Italy for more than six years when she lines up in the G3 Premio Ambrosiano at San Siro on Saturday. Trained by Henri-alex Pantall, the Siyouni filly has twice filled the runner-up spot in French Listed races, including going down by a short-head at Vichy in July.
Wild Pansy was beaten less than three lengths when fith in Deauville’s G3 Prix de Psyche later the same month but failed to beat a rival on her four-year-old return at Lyon Parilly in March.
BIRR CASTLE SEEKS STARRING ROLE IN G1 PRIX GANAY: Birr Castle hopes to follow in the hoofprints of his sire Cloth Of Stars with victory in the first G1 of the European season, the G1 Prix Ganay at Longchamp in France on Sunday.
Cloth Of Stars gamely triumphed in a deep edition of the extended 10-furlong highlight for Andre Fabre in 2017, with all six of his rivals also recording G1 victories during their careers.
Birr Castle, who is also trained by Fabre, steps up to G1 company for the first time ater keeping on to take third behind Zarakem and Horizon Dore on his four-year-old return in the G2 Prix d’harcourt at Longchamp earlier this month.