Second Melbourne Cup Day Stakes Win for Zennista (NZ)

Top-performing mare Zennista (NZ) (Zenno Rob Roy) gained a sixth black-type victory when she gallantly won her second consecutive Group 3 $70,000 Sofitel Luxury Hotel Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie yesterday.

Zennista (NZ) (inside) digs deep to win the Group 3 Sofitel Luxury Hotels Stakes at Ellerslie. Photo courtesy of Trish Dunell.

Zennista was the winner of the Group 3 feature run at Ellerslie on Melbourne Cup Day last year for trainer Lisa Latta and rider Mark du Plessis and the combination replicated the result once again this year.

Zennista was racing in the colours of Wellfield Lodge, who recently purchased the mare and is believed to be in foal to Alamosa, who stands at Wellfield Lodge.

“She has done very well for the stable and she will only have a couple more runs,” commented Latta. “It was great to get another stakes win for Wellfield and if we can pick our races she could carry on.”

Zennista raced in second placing outside the leader in the early sections of the 2000m weight-for-age event. The daughter of Zenno Rob Roy ran to the front at the top of the straight but was quickly challenged by Abidewithme (NZ) (Redoute’s Choice), who put her head in front at the 200m.

Showing her fighting qualities, Zennista rallied the lead back just shy of the winning post to claim victory by a short head from Abidewithme, with Karaka graduate Soriano (NZ) (Savabeel) finishing third.

“Getting the Dead track on the day played into her hands, that’s all she really needed,” said Latta. “She might go to Tauranga for the race she won two years ago. She was a little unlucky in it last year and that was after winning at Auckland.”

Yesterday’s win was Zennista’s ninth career victory that has included three Group 3 successes and three Listed wins in New Zealand and Australia, she has also been Group 1 placed in the New Zealand Oaks. She has earned $636,549 in her career and is currently owned by Peter Gillespie & Wellfield Holdings Ltd.

Bred by John Berger, Zennista is out of Zarnitsa (Maroof), a half-sister to Listed winner Chartreuse (St Petersburg) who is the dam of recent stakes winner Platinum Witness (California Dane).

Latta purchased Zennista for only $20,000 at the 2009 Karaka Festival Sale from Oxford Thoroughbreds.

Kiwis tasted success on Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington as well with Pencarrow Racing’s Atacama (NZ) (Pentire) winning the Listed James Boag’s Premium Stakes, the race following the Group 1 Melbourne Cup.