Tenacious Zarita Fights on for Victory

Super tough Karaka Premier Sale graduate Zarita got up to snare victory by a nose in the Group 2 MVRC Cleanevent WH Stock Stakes (1600m)at Moonee Valley on Saturday after a rough run saw her buffeted between runners.

Singing her praises, trainer Pat Hyland labelled Zarita (Pentire x Gin Player by Defensive Play) the best he's trained after she franked the form from her last start where she finished third to Mic Mac (Statue of Liberty) and Whobegotyou (Street Cry) in the Group 2 MRC Memsie Stakes (1400m) a fortnight ago. On Saturday, Whobegotyou turned the tables on Mic Mac to win the Moonee Valley feature, the Group 2 Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m), however Zarita's lightning turn of foot saw her record a winning time three-tenths of a second quicker than her male counterparts on the day.

The winner of the Group 1 SAJC Schweppes Oaks and Group 1 SAJC South Australian Derby now has four Group 2 races to her credit for a prizemoney haul of almost A$1.5 million. Last year she finished fourth in the Cox Plate to Maldivian (Zabeel), a race she now looks set for a start in again this year.

Rich Hill Stud, who stand Pentire, sold Zarita at the 2006 Karaka Premier Sale for NZ$195,000 to Bill and Pat Frost's Pendant Equine.

The five-year-old is a half-sister to 2006-07 Champion Hong Kong Griffin Joy and Fun (Cullen) and Group 2 Avondale JC Concorde Handicap Run Like the Wind (Pins). Gin Player has a yearling filly by Zabeel that will be retained by her breeder, Scott Williams, with John Thompson of Rich Hill reporting that Gin Player is currently in the foaling paddock set to foal to a full-sibling to Zarita in two weeks time. At the moment she will revisit Pentire this season.

Earlier in the card, another Pentire saluted the judge first with Pergola (ex Gondolin by Zabeel) winning the MVRC RDC Australasian Flooring Handicap (2500m) with Sentire (ex Sent to War by Centaine) finishing third.

Pentire is the sire of nine individual Group 1 winners who have won 15 Group 1 races between them. Highlighting their sire's versatility, they include two NZ Horses of the Year in Champion Stayer Xcellent and reigning Champion Sprinter Mufhasa. Pentire is also the sire of the recently crowned Australian Champion Jumper of the Year Pentiffic and last week's Group 3 AJC Tramway Handicap winner, the up and coming Rangirangdoo for Chris Waller.