Hume Humbles Tatt's Cup Field

22 June 2009

New Zealand-bred gallopers marched on to further success in Australian Cups races when Hume humbled a field of seventeen runners in the Group 3 Carlton Draught Tattersall's Cup (2200m) in Brisbane on Saturday.

Settled early by jockey Scott Galloway, Hume (Zabeel x Lolette, by Arazi) sat fifth, one off the fence for much the journey, quietly watching Bangerang Quickpic (Picnicker) trailblaze a slick pace in front. The pace told early on in the straight for Bangerang Quickpic, and Hume pounced with a smart turn of foot that his opposition couldn't respond too.

Galloway� pulled� away with the Zabeel gelding to score by a length from Bellagio Wynn (Dehere) and fellow NZB graduate Veloce Bella (Volksraad x Wave to Lottie, by Crested Wave).

Hume was bought by Graeme Rogerson on behalf of Lloyd Williams for $400,000 from Whakanui Stud at the 2005 Karaka Premier Sale. After scoring in two of three races in Melbourne for Williams, Hume was sold as a spring four-year-old.

Now five, he is trained by Brian Smith in Queensland for the current syndicate of owners, headed by Brisbane publican Chris Condon, who have now scored four wins with the big bay galloper since the beginning of 2009.

Their trainer Brian Smith is of course most famous for taking Balmerino from New Zealand Derby victory to France to finish second in the Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe of 1977.

Though his sights are not set that far afield, Smith is however aiming Hume at this year's Melbourne Spring Carnival where Zabeel progeny have had a marvel of success in past Group 1 Melbourne Cups, Group 1 Caulfield Cups, and Group 1 Cox Plates with the likes of Might and Power, Maldivian, Jezabeel, Savabeel, Sky Heights, Octagonal, and Efficient.

zabeel

Bred by Whakanui Stud from Lolette, Hume hails from the same family as Eight Carat and her lineage of stars. Lolette unfortunately passed away in 2008, but not before leaving two colts who both sold through Karaka over the past two years.

Her 2006 colt from the first crop of Fastnet Rock brought $250,000 to the bid of Equine and Livestock of Hamilton, while at Karaka this January Wallace Thoroughbreds picked up Lolette's final colt by Darley's Dubawi for $15,000.

Whakanui Stud still has a close interest in the family, being the owners of Lolette's Green Desert daughter Heat Storm. Her first two foals by Savabeel and Zabeel are obviously close relations to Hume, and both colts have been purchased through the Karaka Sales ring over the past two years by Dynamic Syndications and Debbie Price respectively.