Queensland Oaks winner Gondokoro (NZ) became the 43rd individual Group 1 winner for Zabeel on Saturday – a figure only bettered in Australasia by his own sire Sir Tristram (Sir Ivor) who had 45.
Trainer Pat Carey said Gondokoro pulled up so well after her Oaks triumph, he was giving serious thought to backing her up in the G1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm next Saturday.
“On face value she pulled up in terrific order straight after the race it puts the Derby right there as an option next week,” Carey said. “I wanted to get past the Oaks first before I thought about anything else for her but she’s been nominated and paid up all the way through for the Derby.”
Carey has stopped short of declaring the filly a certain cups contender in the spring. “There is no guarantee of a spring preparation when all those imported horses come into Melbourne,” he said. “The obvious race for us is the BMW in the autumn.”
Zabeel is rising 27 and will serve a select band of mares at Cambridge Stud in the spring. His Group 1 winners include;
ABLE MASTER 1995 Auckland Cup
BAZELLE 2005 Auckland Cup, 2005 Zabeel Classic
BEZEAL BAY 1998 VRC Emirates Stakes
CHAMPAGNE 1998 STC Ansett Australia Stakes & 1998 VRC Mackinnon Stakes
CRONUS 1997 SAJC Adelaide Cup
DIGNITY DANCER 1998 AJC Spring Champion Stakes & 1999 VRC Australian Guineas
DIZELLE 2005 AJC Australian Oaks
DON EDUARDO 2002 AJC Australian Derby
DRESS CIRCLE 2001 AJC Metropolitan Handicap
EFFICIENT 2006 VRC Victoria Derby, 2007 VRC Melbourne Cup & 2009 VRC Turnbull Stakes
FIUMICINO 2007 AJC Australian Derby & 2009 STC BMW
GALLIC 2007 AJC Sydney Cup
GRAND ECHEZEAUX 2000 SAJC Australasian Oaks
GREENE STREET 2001 Avondale Gold Cup & 2003 Waikato International
GREYS INN 2004 South African Derby & 2004 Durban July
HADES 1999 New Zealand Derby
HILL OF GRACE 2000 STC Ansett Australia Stakes
INAFLURY 1998 VATC One Thousand Guineas
JESSICABEEL 2010 AJC Sydney Cup
JEZABEEL 1998 Auckland Cup & 1998 VRC Melbourne Cup
LAD OF THE MANOR 2005 VRC Mackinnon Stakes
LIGHTS OF HEAVEN 2011 SAJC Schweppes Oaks
MALDIVIAN 2007 MRC Yalumba Stakes, 2008 MVRC Cox Plate & 2009 MRC Orr Stakes
MIGHT AND POWER 1997 VATC Caulfield Cup, 1997 VRC Melbourne Cup, 1998 STC Mercedes Classic, 1998 AJC Queen Elizabeth Stakes, 1998 BTC Doomben Cup, 1998 VATC Yalumba Stakes & 1998 MVRC Cox Plate
MOUAWAD 1997 VATC Futurity Stakes, 1997 VRC Australian Guineas & 1997 STC George Ryder Stakes
OCTAGONAL 1995 AJC Sires’ Produce Stakes, 1995 MVRC Cox Plate, 1996 STC Canterbury Guineas, 1996 STC Rosehill Guineas, 1996 STC Mercedes Classic, 1996 AJC Australian Derby, 1996 VATC Underwood Stakes, 1997 VRC Australian Cup, 1997 STC Mercedes Classic & 1997 AJC Chipping Norton Stakes
OUR UNICORN 2001 Auckland Cup
RAILINGS 2005 AJC Metropolitan & 2005 MRC Caulfield Cup
RESET 2004 MRC Futurity Stakes & 2004 VRC Australian Guineas
SAVABEEL 2004 AJC Spring Champion Stakes & 2004 MVRC Cox Plate
SHOWER OF ROSES 2003 STC Arrowfield Stud Stakes
SKY HEIGHTS 1999 STC Rosehill Guineas, 1999 AJC Australian Derby, 1999 VATC Caulfield Cup & 2000 VATC Yalumba Stakes
ST REIMS 2002 New Zealand Derby & 2005 Zabeel Classic
UNEARTHLY 2003 AJC Flight Stakes
VENGEANCE OF RAIN 2005 HK Queen Elizabeth II Cup, 2005 Hong Kong Derby, 2005 Hong Kong Cup & 2007 UAE Sheema Classic
VOUVRAY 2004 QTC Queensland Oaks
ZABEELIONAIRE 2012 SAJC South Australian Derby
ZABRASIVE 2010 STC Rosehill Guineas
ZACHELINE 1998 SAJC South Australian Oaks & 1998 QTC Queensland Oaks
ZAGALIA 2003 QTC Queensland Oaks
ZAVITE 2009 SAJC Adelaide Cup, 2010 ARC Auckland Cup, 2011 ATC Ranvet Stakes
ZONDA 1997 New Zealand Derby & 2001 ARC Oaks Stud Classic