Zavite’s devastating win in the million dollar Auckland Cup may have created a new training world record, as it results in three generations of the one family training winners of a Group 1 race over 3200 metres. This 7-year-old Zabeel gelding is the first winner at this level and distance for Randwick based Anthony Cummings, a son of Bart Cummings, preparer of 12 Melbourne Cup winners, and grandson of Jim Cummings, winner of the 1950 Melbourne Cup with Comic Court.
Anthony’s best effort previously in a 3200m event had been with Zavite in the 2009 Adelaide Cup, but this event was reduced to Group 2 level in 2007. In addition Zavite’s ten wins in 50 outings have included two Group 3s, the Launceston Cup and VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Zavite was bred by Fairdale Stud, New Zealand and sold to a bid of $80,000 from Cummings at the 2004 Inglis Easter yearling sale. A brother to Mybigfatgreekhorse, a good jumper in Victoria and South Australia, Zavite was got by Zabeel from a stoutly bred American mare, Miss Vita, whose one win was at 2400m in England.
Miss Vita is by two-times Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Alleged and from an unraced three-quarter sister-in-blood to Suave Dancer. He won both the Arc and the French Derby.
Considered Europe’s greatest race, the Arc was won in 2009 by stand out world champion 3-year-old Sea the Stars. He is mentioned at this time as his sire Cape Cross, a speedily bred high class European miler, was responsible for the winner of another 3200m race run in this part of the world this week, the 2010 renewal of the Adelaide Cup.
Also another triumph for the Zabeel influence, the Adelaide race went to the 7-year-old gelding Capecover, one like the runner up, the Ireland bred Kerdem, trained by Patrick Payne. Earlier winner of the VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes, the Mornington Cup and in New Zealand the CJC Metropolitan Handicap, Capecover is another of the huge number of top race winners bred by Patrick Hogan on his Cambridge Stud. A half-brother to Auckland Cup winner and Brisbane and Doomben Cup third Upsetthym (by Rhythm), he by the Darley shuttled Green Desert sire Cape Cross and from Set Up, a Zabeel mare who is a half-sister to two English stakes winners.
Capecover’s grandam was a half-sister to English Derby winner Slip Anchor and to the Mill Reef Lancashire Oaks winner Sandy Island, the dam of Subterfuge, a Machiavellian winner in England and a producer in Australia of the Danehill stakes winners Scintillation (12 wins Hong Kong, including three Group1s) and Shania Dane (five in Australia, two Group 2 sprints, placed in five Group1s).
Initially used by Goldendale, NSW but now owned by Hutchins Thoroughbreds, Gold Coast, Subterfuge has an Encosta de Lago filly in the Coolmore draft in this year’s Inglis Easter yearling sale catalogue. Also listed under Coolmore is an Encosta de Lago filly from Shania Dane, a mare owned by Matrix Bloodstock, NSW, and Highgrove Stud, Darling Downs is to offer a filly by the same sire and out of Sequin (by Lure). A three-quarter sister to Shania Dane and Scintillation, Sequin is the dam of the Snippets Listed winner Get to Work.
Set Up, the dam of Capecover, is another mare to change hands after proving a successful producer. She was purchased at the Inglis Sydney mare sales in 2007 in foal to Johar (USA) for $45,000 by John Reedy, NSW. She has produced fillies for him by Johar and Quest For Fame (in 2008) and is currently carrying to a late service to Musket, the three-quarter brother by Redoute’s Choice to Makybe Diva who started his sire career at Darley’s Twin Hills stud (formerly Woodlands) near Cootamundra last season.
Musket did well with most of his 86 mares, but one who proved a problem was Songline, dam of three times Horse of the Year Sunline. Songline went in foal three times during the season, but unfortunately failed to hold the pregnancy. Rising 23, she has only had one foal in the past six years.
Musket’s owners, Darley, welcomed the success of Capecover particularly as his sire Cape Cross, is one of their sires. Used on the shuttle system in New Zealand and then Australia, but now resident at their Kildangan Stud in Ireland, this son of the Danzig sire Green Desert and the Ahonoora mare Park Appeal, was Europe’s leading sire for 2009 by earnings, equal top by winners and second by wins.
He has had over 200 winners from his southern hemisphere use including five successful in Group 1 races. The best of them has been New Zealand champion Seachange.
