Zabeel Classic Launches NZB Insurance Triple Crown Series
23 December 2019
Ellerslie’s famous Boxing Day races will be the perfect setting for the launch of the NZB Insurance 3x Triple Crown Series.
Announced in September, the incentive provides a significant boost to some of New Zealand racing’s prestigious summer and autumn Group races with a total of $300,000 in bonuses up for grabs.
The Weight-For-Age Triple Crown is the first one to get underway, kicking off this Thursday with the $200,000 Group One Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (2000m) at Ellerslie. It will be followed by the $400,000 Group One Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa on February 8, and the $200,000 Group One Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie on March 7.
The races in the Sprint Triple Crown are the $200,000 Group One Sistema Railway (1200m) at Ellerslie on January 1, the $250,000 Group One JR & N Berkett Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham on January 18, and the $200,000 Group One BCD Group Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa on February 8.
The third Series is the Fillies and Mares Triple Crown, made up of the $70,000 Group Three Cuddle Stakes (1600m) at Trentham on March 14, the $200,000 Group One Fiber Fresh New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) at Te Aroha on April 4, and the $100,000 Group Two Travis Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa on April 25.
In each of the three Series, there is a $100,000 Triple Crown Bonus available for any horse who can win all three races.
Despite the late withdrawal of likely favourite Supera (NZ) (Savabeel) because of a setback, Thursday’s Zabeel Classic looms as an exciting clash.
Charles Road (Myboycharlie) is back on home soil after placing at Group One level in Sydney in the spring, while True Enough (NZ) (Nom du Jeu) has won the Group Two Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m) and placed in the Group One Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) in his last two starts.
The Mitigator (Master of Design) is a last-start winner of the Group Three Eagle Technology Stakes (1600m) at this course. The runner-up in that race was Beauden (NZ) (Bullbars), who is back for a rematch after a superb four-length win at Awapuni on December 14.
The Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic will be run as Race 9 on Thursday with a start time of 5:16pm.
| # | Horse | Draw | Comments | Trainer | Jockey |
| 1 | Charles Road | 3 | Million-dollar earner Charles Road (Myboycharlie) finished a close seventh in the 2018 Melbourne Cup (3200m), and he has again performed with credit in Australia this spring with four top-five finishes including a gutsy third in the Group 1 Metropolitan (2400m). He has a good record fresh. Owner David Archer won this race in 2008 with Gallions Reach (NZ) (Victory Dance). | Lance O'Sullivan & Andrew Scott | Troy Harris |
| 2 | True Enough | 4 | In an impressive and breakthrough campaign, True Enough (NZ) (Nom du Jeu) has won the Group 3 Spring Sprint (1400m) and Group 2 Coupland's Bakeries Mile (1600m), then stepped up to the elite level for the first time and placed in the Group 1 Captain Cook Stakes (1600m). The step up to 2000m looks likely to suit. | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | James McDonald |
| 3 | The Mitigator | 11 | After three placings including the Spring Sprint and the Group 2 Tauranga Stakes (1600m), The Mitigator (Master of Design) claimed a deserved black-type win in the Group 3 Eagle Technology Stakes (1600m) at this track on November 30. It was a scintillating front-running performance in a slick time of 1:33.18. The step up in distance, from an awkward gate, is the one slight query. | Peter McKay | Shaun McKay |
| 4 | Mongolian Marshal | 13 | Mongolian Marshal (NZ) (High Chaparral) was a leading stayer last season, winning the Group 3 Waikato Cup (2400m) and placing in the Group 3 Counties Cup (2100m) and City of Auckland Cup (2400m). This season he has finished third in the Group 1 Windsor Park Plate (1600m), fifth in the Group 1 Livamol Classic (2040m) and a late-finishing fifth last start in the Group 3 J Swap Contractors Sprint (1400m). | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | Opie Bosson |
| 5 | Peso | 7 | The Group 1 Livamol Classic in early October was a career-best race for Peso (NZ) (Colombia), who finished a gallant second behind 10-time Group 1 winner Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands). Last season's New Zealand Derby (2400m) winner Crown Prosecutor (Medaglia d'Oro) was third. He has had two starts since then, including a third in the Group 3 OMF Stakes (2000m) over this course and distance. Overall, Peso has had 39 starts for seven wins, 15 placings and more than $260,000 in stakes. | Paul Nelson & Corrina McDougal | Rosie Myers |
| 6 | Tiptronic | 12 | Tiptronic (NZ) (O'Reilly) is a proven Group 1 performer over this distance, finishing second in the Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa last February. After winning over 1400m at Ellerslie in October, he has produced strong finishes for third in the Tauranga Stakes and fifth in the Captain Cook Stakes. | Graham Richardson | Cameron Lammas |
| 7 | Beauden | 10 | Stakes-placed at this venue in last month's Eagle Technology Stakes, Beauden (NZ) (Bullbars) confirmed his status as a rising star of New Zealand racing with an incredible last-start win at Awapuni. He almost fell coming out of the starting gates, but recovered and blew his rivals away by four lengths. | Team Rogerson | Ryan Elliot |
| 8 | Orakei Overlord | 6 | A four-time winner in Australia, Orakei Overlord (NZ) (Iffraaj) has added another two victories to his CV since returning to New Zealand this spring. He scored an emphatic Rating 82 victory over 2200 metres at this track in his most recent start. | Shaun & Emma Clotworthy | Alysha Collett |
| 9 | Vernanme | 2 | Vernanme (NZ) (O'Reilly) was one of the stars of last season's three-year-old crop, placing in the Group 1 Levin Classic (1600m) and Group 2 Avondale Guineas (2100m). He began his spring campaign with a win in the Listed Karaka Classic (1600m), then stepped back up to Group 1 level and finished sixth in the Livamol Classic and Captain Cook Stakes in his last two starts. | Stephen Marsh | Danielle Johnson |
| 10 | Fiscal Fantasy | 1 | Rising to prominence around this time last year with a placing in the Dunstan Stayers' Championship Final (2200m), Fiscal Fantasy (Skilled) has since won the Group 3 Manawatu Breeders' Stakes (2000m) and the OMF Stakes over this course and distance. She was an unlucky seventh last start in the Counties Cup. | Frank Ritchie | Leith Innes |
| 11 | Contessa Vanessa | 8 | Contessa Vanessa (NZ) (Bullbars) has already starred on Boxing Day at Ellerslie, winning the Group 2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m) in 2017. She won the Group 3 Sunline Vase (2100m) at the same track later that season, and placed in the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m). She hasn't won a race since her three-year-old season, but has shown some good signs, beaten by a nose at Pukekohe two starts back. | Team Rogerson | Rory Hutchings |
| 12 | Strolling Vagabond | 9 | In foal to Tivaci, consistent mare Strolling Vagabond (NZ) (Darci Brahma) has collected valuable black type in recent starts with placings in the Listed Staphanos Classic (1950m) and Group 3 Counties Cup (2100m). | Stephen Marsh | Michael Coleman |
| 13 | Pinmedown | 14 | Pinmedown (NZ) (Pins) is another former winner of the Eight Carat Classic at this meeting, winning the three-year-old fillies' feature on this day 12 months ago. She is coming into form at the right time again, producing strong late finishes over 1600m for fourth in the Eagle Technology Stakes and a last-start third in the Group 2 Cal Isuzu Stakes. | Michael Moroney & Pam Gerard | Mick Dee |
| 14 | Queen of Diamonds | 5 | The beautifully bred Queen of Diamonds (NZ) (Savabeel) was a joint winner of the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series last season, having won the Group 2 Lowland Stakes (2100m) and Group 3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m) and placed in the Group 2 Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic (2000m) and Eight Carat Classic. In her last three appearances she has finished fifth in the Group 3 Taranaki Breeders' Stakes (1400m), Group 2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes (1400m) and Cal Isuzu Stakes. | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | Craig Grylls |