Winner: Zafar Stakes' Winning Debut

Winning a stakes' race on debut is not the norm, but Zafar (2 c Snitzel – Zasorceress, by Zabeel) achieved it in the $80,000 Listed Berkley Stud Champagne Stakes (1200m) on Saturday at Riccarton.

After drawing out with a strong gallop to win at the trials on 24 March at Avondale, Zafar was to start in the Maiden 2YO 1100 metres on 17 April at Te Rapa, but trainers Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson scratched because of Heavy9 track conditions, and instead went back to the trials on 21 April at Avondale, where he did well for second in a tight three-way finish, before heading South to prepare for the Champagne Stakes.

By four-time Champion Sire Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice), Zafar is out Zasorceress (Zabeel), who won twice to 1800 metres in Australia, and although stoutly bred on the dam side he displays plenty of precocity.

With stable rider Opie Bosson ONZM aboard, who won the previous race on stable-mate Insatiable (All Too Hard), Zafar secured a beautiful position near the pace, was clear to challenge entering the home straight, and responded with a strong finish when asked to extend inside the 200m.

“I’m glad we decided to teach him something last time at the trials, getting back amongst them, and he showed today he’s still a bit on and off, but he’s got a lot of ability,” Bosson said.

“When you think about it, going 800 metres (trials) up to 1200 metres in his first start, it was a pretty good effort. 

“He looks like the ideal Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas horse next season. We’ve got a few of them at home at the moment, so it’s exciting times ahead.”

On footing upgraded to Good4, Zafar ran 1200 metres in 1:09.7 and remained strongly supported in betting to pay $1.80 & $1.30 on the NZ TAB tote.

“He’s a lovely colt and credit to the North Island team, they’ve sent him down in terrific order,” said assistant trainer Hurrant Durrant, on course.

“He’s just got such a good brain on him, which is going to take him a long way in the future.”

Owned by Fortuna Zafar Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin), Zafar was purchased for $165,000 by Galvin and David Ellis CNZM, from the draft Kilgravin Lodge, and 2025 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale at Karaka. 

“There’s been a lot of talk about this horse, it’s pretty exciting, and he had to do a bit of work today to get home,” Galvin said. “We’re very happy with the result.

“We would love to come back here for the 2000 Guineas in November, so this may be his only start this season and he can have a break now and prepare for his three-year-old year.

“He wasn’t on our list, originally, because we always buy to budget, and Mark (Walker) pointed him out to me. 

“As it turned out, he was passed in at $180,000, but Mark suggested we offer $165,000 and five minutes later the deal was done.”

Walker added: “It was a really good experience for him to travel down South, after his trials at Avondale. 

“He’d only had a week down there to get used to the Riccarton training facilities, but we sent him with a view to going back for the 2000 Guineas in the spring.

“Full credit to Opie (Bosson), he wasted hard to make the weight and ride him and he thinks a lot of the colt. 

“He’ll take a lot from the race experience, getting in amongst them and having to come through and win. 

“He’s out of a Zabeel mare, we think he’ll get over more ground, so should suit a mile in the Guineas, and it’s really good to get another stakes winner for John & Jessica Galvin and all their owners. 

“Also, the Colt Barn at Matamata have done an outstanding job handling Zafar. He was a real handful, early on, and they’ve persevered and tried very hard to keep his manners in check as a colt.”

Zafar is from a very successful family bred by Sir Peter Vela at Pencarrow Stud, and a direct descendant of triple Group One winner and Champion Filly Habibti (Habitat), the fourth dam. Habibti was Top of the 1983 European 3YO Classification, and Top Filly of the 1982 Irish 2YO Free Handicaps.

It is also the family of classy race filly and producer Lafleur (Zabeel), along with triple Group One winner Humidor (Teofilo). 

“We’d previously won the Champagne Stakes in 2024 with Discretion Rules (Alabama Express), and that win by Zafar was our 19th stakes' win this season in New Zealand, so congratulations to our owners and all our team,” Ellis said.

“It’s not very often we’d put a young horse straight into a stakes' race on debut, but Mark and Sam both thought he could handle it and they’ve been proven right.

“The last time we trained a debut stakes' winner was Return To Conquer (Snitzel) in the Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m), and of course he went on to win a total of four black type races and retire to stud unbeaten.  He will stand at Waikato Stud for the upcoming breeding season.

"We also achieved that feat with one of our homebred two-year-olds, Aotea Lad (Savabeel), when he won the Group 2 Wakefield Stakes (1100m) in 2019. He was out of mare (Corsage) that I bought as a yearling for $25,000 at Karaka. She was unlucky not to win the Karaka Million, but became Group One placed and then a good producer.” 

Zafar was strapped by Hunter Durrant & Naomi Warrender.

Photo credit - Ajay Berry - www.raceimages.co.nz