Super Staying Prowess from Precedence

Evergreen kiwi-bred galloper Precedence (NZ) (Zabeel) produced a superior staying effort to succeed in the Group 3 A$300,000 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) at Flemington on Saturday after narrowly missing out on a start in the Melbourne Cup earlier in the week.

Precedence (NZ) gets his nose in front in the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Flemington.

With 24 runners in the field for the Melbourne Cup the Bart and James Cummings trained horse was balloted out as the 25 horse in the order of entry for Australia’s showpiece event.

The eight-year-old gelding was coming off a resounding victory in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Cup on Cox Plate day and started as the second favourite for Saturday’s race.

The son of Zabeel was once again ridden by Craig Williams, who was aboard at his last start victory, and positioned the gelding close to the pace over the testing 2600m distance.

Entering the long Flemington straight Precedence appeared to be travelling comfortably but it was quickly apparent that he would have a fight on his hand when race-favourite Sertorius (Galileo) went to the lead.

The tough kiwi stayer overhauled the race-favourite in the concluding stages with the winning margin a slender nose. A protest from the second horse was survived after it was claimed Precedence laid-in and interfered with Sertorius however Stewards dismissed the appeal and Precedence was crowned the victor.

“He was really good going into the race, eight-year-old and all,” commented Bill Charles, long time foreman for Bart Cummings. “He won his second Moonee Valley Cup last start so is in good form.

“He is an extremely sound horse. He is the apple in the eye of our foreman in Melbourne and he is going really well.

“He is likely to go the Zipping Classic this Saturday over 2400m, a race he ran third in last year. He has come through the race in good order and all being well he will go to Sandown then he will go for a break.

“He will keep going next year as well. He is an eight-year-old and had 55 starts but is probably a handicapper more than a weight-for-age horse so he now has step up that little extra notch.

“Being by Zabeel has got better with age, like a good wine.”

Precedence is owned by some well-known identities of the thoroughbred industry in Australasia including Dato Tan Chin Nam, Sir Patrick and Lady Hogan, the Dowager Duchess of Bedford along with Mr Berry Schroder, with their charge racking up 10 career wins from 55 starts and earning A$1,741,280 in prizemoney.

Bred by Bloomsbury Stud & Sir Patrick & Lady Hogan, Precedence is one of 148 stakes winners for his sire Zabeel and is out of the imported mare Kowtow (Shadeed), the dam of seven horses to race that have all been winners.

Precedence was purchased by Duncan Ramage’s DGR Thoroughbred Services at the 2007 Karaka Premier Sale for $180,000 from Bloomsbury Stud.

The win by Precedence culminated a successful day for Karaka graduates at Flemington with Girl Gone Rockin’ (Redoute’s Choice) winning the Group 2 Matriarch Stakes and Shamexpress (NZ) (O’Reilly) narrowly finishing second in the Group 1 VRC Sprint Classic. On Thursday another graduate, Kirramosa (NZ) (Alamosa), landed the Group 1 Crown Oaks for kiwi trainer John Sargent.