Zavistic Zooms Home

And the second winner at Timaru today for Te Akau was ....

Appearing extremely hard to beat on the strength of his first up run at Oamaru, Zavistic (4 g Zacinto - Miss Avalon, by Fantastic Light) scored an emphatic victory in the $10,000 Maiden 1200 metres on Friday at Timaru.

At Oamaru, Zavistic lost several lengths when beginning awkwardly and ran the fastest the 600m (33.8) when staging a big run for second, resuming in the Maiden 1200 metres on 15 September.

Prior to heading south he had kept up a resilient gallop to win a trial on 1 August at Te Teko, and from barrier one, having recorded a second and five thirds (in stronger fields) from seven starts, he looked tough to beat.

Short on the tote: $2.10 & $1.20, Zavistic won the race sponsored by Ascot Sportshouse & Eatery, for owners in the Te Akau Zavistic Syndicate (Mgr: David Ellis). On Dead6 footing, he ran the 1200 metres in 1:12.0.

Continuing the connection with Kevin Hickman (Valachi Downs), having won the first race on the card with a horse they bred and own, Lady Amadeus (Medaglia d'Oro), Zavistic provided a winning double for trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards.

Zavistic was purchased for $100,000 by David Ellis, from the draft of Valachi Downs, at the 2015 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale.

By the sire of 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) winner Ugo Foscolo (Zacinto), Zavistic is a half-brother to Group One winner and Champion Two-Year-Old Vespa (Elusive City), now standing at Wellfield Lodge.

“We've got some really good owners in this horse and I'm thrilled for them,” Ellis said. “He was a late foal and taken time to develop but it won't be the last time you see him winning.

“Dan (Miller) has now prepared seven winners from seventeen runners in the South Island. That's a strike rate of 2.4 and we couldn't be more proud of him.

“We send a lot of these horses down to get better tracks and it's a policy that has worked well for us for around 13 years. And the horses that campaign down there, when they come home (Matamata), they go to another level. A trip away does them the world of good.

“The team at home had done a great job with these horses before they headed south, so I'm thrilled for them too when they win. They've worked through atrocious conditions in the last four months.  Next week is supposed to be fine and the tracks are going to improve, and that will be great for all the staff too.”

Zavistic campaigned very consistently to record four thirds in as many starts as a two-year-old, was pretty quiet through his three-year-old year after a mishap but certainly showed he is back in the groove.

Settling three back on the inner, under rider Opie Bosson, Zavistic travelled on a nice rein in fifth passing the 600m, was clear on straightening, and wound up a strong finish to win comfortably.

“It's really good for the owners to get a winner here,” Daniel Miller said. “He's been unlucky that many times. He'd run five thirds and it all worked out today.

“It was a lovely ride by Opie and I'm picking he'll go with it. We were a bit worried about the way he got out of the gates last time and it was good to see him get out, get into a nice rhythm, Opie didn't bustle him too early and it was lovely.”

Zavistic was strapped by Meg Lambert.