The former Allan Sharrock-trained galloper Zachaz (NZ) (Coats Choice) relished the wide open spaces at the Pakenham standalone metropolitan meeting on Saturday, showing his staying prowess to land the Iron Jack Australian Lagers BM78 Handicap (2000m) in emphatic fashion.
The six-year-old has won three of his nine starts since joining the stable of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, having won two of his first four starts under New Plymouth trainer Sharrock.
Sent out a $3.80 favourite, Zachaz was perfectly ridden by Clayton Douglas and had 1¼ lengths to spare over runner-up Milestone (Mastercraftsman), with another former Kiwi, Nerve Not Verve (NZ) (Shocking) finishing third.
“I thought he’d be further way towards the back but he was midfield and had Starcaster to follow and trucked into the race nicely,” stable representative Leigh Allen said.
“He works down at Fingal on the Mornington Peninsula so he doesn’t do any gallop work, he just rolls through the hills down there and Georgia and the team there do a fantastic job.
“We were pretty confident third-up up to 2000m. Last start over 1600m he was going though the line nicely.
“I think the big open wide spaces of a track like Flemington will suit him well.”
Jockey Clayton Douglas said he could tell the gelding was feeling good on the way to the gates, giving him even greater confidence.
“It worked out perfectly. He began really well for me today. He gave me options and didn’t flop away like he can and was in the ruck. I had the right horses around me so it worked out really good,” Douglas said.
“This horse, he’s a funny horse. He only finishes off when he gets plenty of galloping room.
“He’s a big horse and I think he’s going to get out over further than today’s trip as well. I’ve had a good association with the horse and last preparation he had a few soundness issues.
“Obviously the team down at Fingal, it’s a really good set up they’ve got down there.
“Even going down to the start today I was really pleased with his action. There’s been a couple of times where I’ve ridden him down to the start and he wasn’t as free moving. When he was free moving like he was today I thought he’d be very hard to beat.”
Zachaz is out of the Group Three winning Zabeel mare Zablinka (NZ) and is one of seven winners out of the mare, which include Group Three winner The Meista (NZ) (Montjeu).