Zabeel Stars at NZB Ready to Run Sale

World class racing at Moonee Valley on Saturday saw one sire reaffirm his title as ‘the king of the Cox Plate’ and he has a hefty presence at New Zealand Bloodstock’s upcoming Ready to Run Sale of Two-Year-Olds (20 & 21 November).

This sire is of course the remarkable Zabeel, the most successful sire in Cox Plate history with four individual winners. In 2010 Zabeel was awarded the Kingston Town Greatness Award in recognition of his “undeniable dominance as the Cox Plate's most influential sire throughout its 88 year history.”

Zabeel

And the super-sire is now adding a new chapter to his success, being the dam-sire of this year’s winner Ocean Park (NZ) (Thorn Park), and after reaching a new milestone last season when he was crowned Champion Broodmare sire in both New Zealand and Australia for the first time.

The stalwart of the New Zealand breeding ranks, Zabeel has four entries in NZB’s Ready to Run Sale next month, with a further 14 horses in the catalogue from his daughters.

Zabeel is the sire of 42 individual Group 1 winners and his daughters are proving a revelation at stud, adding to their stallion’s endless success producing 101 stakes winners to date – 21 at Group 1 level – a total that seems to grow with every weekend of racing. 

Saturday’s meeting at Moonee Valley provided no finer example of Zabeel’s potency as a broodmare sire. As well as claiming the Cox Plate, he is also the dam-sire of Silent Achiever (NZ), winner of the Group 2 Crystal Mile, and It’s a Dundeel (NZ), runner up in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase and favourite for Saturday’s Group 1 VRC Derby. In addition, Zabeel also sired Tavarnelle who ran second in the Group 2 Tesio Stakes.

Zabeel has a strong influence on November’s Ready to Run Sale with 14 two-year-olds from his daughters including:

• Lot 168, the colt by Keeper from Kilfenora, a sister to Group 1 winners St Reims (Zabeel) and Champagne (Zabeel) and from the family of current Group 3 winner Full of Spirit(Flying Spur).
• Lot 201, the gelding by Henrythenavigator from Mazarine, a sister to Group 1 winner Shower of Roses (Zabeel) and from the family of Eight Carat(Pieces of Eight).
• Lot 399, a half-brother by Sakhee’s Secret to last season’s Group 1 New Zealand Derby winner and NZ Champion 3YO Silent Achiever (O’Reilly) who won Saturday’s Group 2 Crystal Mile.

Zabeel also has four two-year-olds in the catalogue – three colts and one gelding – and they include:

• Lot 85, the gelding from the Danehill mare Diversa, a three-quarter sister to Champion Sire Flying Spur (Danehill) and from the family of Champion sire Encosta de Lago(Fairy King).
• Lot 211, the colt from the Group 2 winning Volksraad mare Mistrale and from the family of Group 1 winner Sky Chase (Star Way).

Zabeel was the Champion Broodmare sire in Australia and New Zealand last season and he already holds a commanding early lead in the Australian Broodmare Sires’ Premiership with earnings in excess of A$5.7 million, A$2.5 million clear of his nearest rival Danehill.