Astute race planning – and a fair dollop of natural ability – resulted in Zipping Zarbo winning 13 of her first 15 starts.
The Deb Coleman trained flyer has since won another three races (with five seconds and two thirds) from 13 starts.
And earlier this week, it was that same forethought – and raw talent – which landed Zipping Zarbo victory in the $15,000-to-the-winner President’s Cup (485m) at Horsham.
The frontrunning Zipping Zarbo ($4.90) staved off a late challenge from Weblec Haze ($5.30) to score by a half-length in a slick 27.12sec (Best). It was almost a carbon copy of her heat win when she defeated Weblec Haze by just over one and half lengths in 27.20sec (Best).
WATCH: Zipping Zarbo (6) holds out Weblec Haze (2) in a thrilling finish to the President’s Cup (485m) at Horsham on Tuesday.
Deb also won a heat with Slingshot Titan, but he was withdrawn from the final after X-rays detected a hairline fracture of the right hock.
“We place our dogs where we think they can win… We’re not here to run fourth and fifth at Sandown or The Meadows all the time,” came Deb’s frank assessment.
“But even still, once you hit the higher grades, they could be running against anything.”
Deb added that Zipping Zarbo is more mature than when a reserve for the G1 Sapphire Crown (515m) at Sandown in mid-May.
“She’s still quite excitable and may use herself up a bit, but she’s now calmer while travelling and in the race kennels.”
Zipping Zarbo’s race itinerary will now take in the country cups trail and possibly next month’s G1 Adelaide Cup series (515m) at Angle Park.
“We’ll use her early pace to advantage… She’ll give you everything if she can lead and if she nails the start, she’s hard to run down,” Deb said.
As they say, ‘the future is for those who plan for it’.
Owned by the Hallinan Hallinan syndicate, Zipping Zarbo (Apr ’18 El Grand Senor x Zipping Abby) hails from a highly successful litter including G3 Warragul St Leger third place-getter Zipping Sullivan, who has won 14 races from 29 starts; dual city winner Zipping Benson; and Zipping Fleur, who has won seven races from 14 starts.
“We’ve established a working relationship with Martin (Hallinan) and take a full litter from him,” Deb said. “It’s now been six litters in around four years.”
- Deb and partner Rob Camilleri had three winners at Horsham as Zipping Fleur (23.14sec) and New Jack Swing (23.43sec) both won over 410m.
Photo by Daniel Thorogood.
