Symon Wilde’s fondness for Kiwi-bred horses continued at Warrnambool on Tuesday when Count Zero (NZ) (Zed) took out the Maiden Hurdle (3200m).
Wilde has enjoyed plenty of success with New Zealand-bred horses at Warrnambool over the years, headlined by Grand Annual hero Gold Medals (NZ) (Elvstroem).
“New Zealand breed tough horses and I love training them, and love having them coming year after year,” Wilde said.
Count Zero went into the race a short-priced favourite and Wilde admitted to feeling a sense of relief following the result.
“That was a relief, we can relax a bit now,” he said.
“I thought the horse coming up the inside had him, but we know he is a superior stayer.”
Winning at Warrnambool is nothing new to Count Zero, who won the 2020 edition of The Jericho Cup (4600m), and Wilde said it was a natural progression to try the son of Zed over jumps.
“We had planned this for a while,” he said. “We said to the owners that we would like to jump him and we would only do it if we thought he was very good at it and enjoyed it.
“He has been really good and did a lot of schooling last year. I think that stood him in good stead for today. He has got a lot of jumping and miles behind him.
“He is a great horse to have here at Warrnambool with Jericho Cups and jumping, he has got a lot of options, which is great for staying horses. I think it is terrific.”
Count Zero was purchased out of Grangewilliam Stud’s 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Festival Yearling Sale draft for $22,000 by bloodstock agent John Foote.
The seven-year-old gelding has now won six of his 40 starts and more than A$315,000 in prizemoney.
