Zed Stayer Wins NZ St Leger

Media Release - Saturday March 20

Class prevailed at Trentham on Saturday when last-start Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m) winner Waisake collected another feature race at the venue with a gritty victory in the Listed Fasttrack Insurance 5K New Zealand St. Leger (2600m).

Race favourite Waisake is well clear as he races to victory at Trentham Photo Credit: Race Images – Peter Rubery

Unsighted since taking out the Cup in late January with a booming late run, the Allan-Sharrock-trained six-year-old had his normal race tactics turned upside down when apprentice rider Hazel Schofer found herself trapped wide throughout the early stages of the race.

Schofer used her initiative to roll forward and sit outside leader Lincoln King as the pair set up a steady gallop out in front.

Advertisement

Schofer knew she was on the superior stayer and poured on the pressure approaching the home turn. Waisake responded gamely and shot two lengths clear before maintaining a solid gallop to outstay his rivals, with Skyphyta and Beaudz Well closing off well to finish in the minor placings.

Sharrock admitted he had his concerns when his charge was trapped three-wide, but praised Schofer for taking matters into her own hands during the mid-stages of the contest.

“You can’t sit three-wide for two bends, but he found his comfort zone and was clearly the best horse in the race,” Sharrock said.

“It’s what you want to see from an improving apprentice when they have to make a decision in a race.

“He hadn’t raced for six weeks but I had done as much as I could with him to get him race fit and in the end, he was authoritative.”

Sharrock advised his charge would now head to the spelling paddock before returning for a campaign that could see him target the Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m) in November as well as returning to defend his Wellington Cup title in January.

Schofer could hear Sharrock’s words ringing in her ears as she made her decision to go forward aboard Waisake at the 1600m mark.

“Allan always tells me not to get caught three-wide and if you do, roll forward,” she said.

“We were going easy enough, so I let him cruise and just sit off the leader.

“I know he stays, so I got on my bike early and then just let him roll down the straight.

“He always digs in, so you just have to make sure you get going early on him.”

A $28,000 purchase by Sharrock from the Ainsley Downs Stud draft at the 2016 Festival Yearling Sale at Karaka, Waisake has now won seven of his 24 starts and just under $250,000 in prizemoney. – NZ Racing Desk

 

Advertisment

Race Result - Fasttrack Ins. 5k Nz St Leger LR 2600m

Trentham Track: Dead(4) Time: 2:43.87
1
Waisake
- 6g Zed (NZ) x Kincia (NZ) (Kinjite (NZ))
Tnr: S A Sharrock Rdr: R H Schofer 56
2
2.5
Skyphyta
- 6g Pierro (AUS) x Stellaphyta (NZ) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: P M Goodwin Rdr: S T Collett 55
Pierro
3
2.6
Beaudz Well
- 4g Zed (NZ) x Celtic Rose (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: J R Wheeler Rdr: S R Weatherley 55
4
2.8
Beavertown Boy
- 4g Shocking (AUS) x Nightingale Island (NZ) (Viking Ruler (AUS))
Tnr: A M Bull Rdr: M J Mc Nab 55
5
3.1
Lincoln King
- 6g Shocking (AUS) x Shi Kin Fly (NZ) (Shinko King (IRE))
Tnr: S B Marsh Rdr: D S Johnson 55
6
7.6
Springsteen
- 4g Stratum (AUS) x Eebee Pop (NZ) (Postponed (USA))
Tnr: J Benner & H Wynyard Rdr: L J Allpress 55
7
8.9
Duplicity
- 8g Duporth (AUS) x Bidthemobgooday (AUS) (Reset (AUS))
Tnr: A J Meadows Rdr: R T Elliot 55.5
8
9.7
Amano
- 5g Reliable Man (GB) x Lichen Moss (AUS) (Mossman (AUS))
Tnr: L O'Sullivan & A Scott Rdr: C J Grylls 55
9
10.7
Bingwa
- 5m Redwood (GB) x Princess Reims (NZ) (St Reims (NZ))
Tnr: G B Swann Rdr: K R Hercock 53
10
11.5
Dee And Gee
- 7m Darci Brahma (NZ) x Gabana (NZ) (Jungle Pocket (JPN))
Tnr: P R Corbett Rdr: L T Hemi 54
11
12.3
Baby Menaka
- 6m Zed (NZ) x Menaka (NZ) (Montjeu (IRE))
Tnr: J & K Parsons Rdr: K Asano 53
12
17.1
Pickup
- 7g Zacinto (GB) x Lifter (NZ) (Danzighill (AUS))
Tnr: Kennedy Moore Rdr: M K Hudson 55
More Reading...
Knights Choice a True Underdog Story
Punters were left stunned when the Queenslander Knight's Choice and Japanese visitor Warp Speed (JPN) emerged from the pack to fight out a dramatic finish to the $8,560,000 Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday November 5
Here is the full list of 145 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Coolmore Set Justify Fee for 2025
Coolmore have announced the US fee for Justify in 2025 with the undefeated Triple Crown winner priced at $US250,000 to head  their roster of 16 stallions at Ashford Stud in Kentucky.
2024 Melbourne Cup Result - It's Knights Choice
The 2024 Melbourne Cup has been run and won with Knight’s Choice, a five-year-old gelding by Extreme Choice victorious.
More Stakes Success for Air Assault
Group I placed last season in the SA Derby, talented gelding Air Assault kept the winning run going for Victoria Derby winning trainer Andrew Gluyas when taking out the Listed SAJC John Letts Cup (1800m) at Morphettville on Melbourne Cup Day.
Magic Nick Strikes Again – Fastnet Rock x Galileo
The Fastnet Rock x Galileo nick has been on fire in Melbourne this spring producing Cox Plate winner Via Sistina (IRE) and leading Melbourne Cup contender Buckaroo (GB) and it struck again overnight in the UK with a brand new stakes-winner in Military Academy, who captured the Listed Floodlit Stakes (1m4f) at Kempton.
Melbourne Cup Pedigree Analysis - Do It Yourself
Breednet has produced a great page with click through to five generation pedigrees for all the Melbourne Cup runners, so for amateur pedigree buffs looking to have a Cup flutter based pedigree here’s your chance  to DIY it!
Melbourne Cup Winner for Extreme Choice – Rare Slice of History
This year’s $8.5million Group I VRC Melbourne Cup (3200m) produced a genuinely amazing fairytale result for the connections of five year-old Extreme Choice gelding Knight’s Choice, but part of that fairytale is his sire Extreme Choice, who has carved out something seriously special as being only the second sire in history to produce the winner of a Golden Slipper and a Melbourne Cup.
Kiwi Bred Gringotts Wins $3million Big Dance
Talented New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts(NZ) (Per Incanto) delivered a big payday for his connections with victory in Tuesday’s A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick.
Rosemont and Partners Stakes Quinella on Cup Day
Written Tycoon posted his second new stakes-winner on Melbourne Cup Day when promising three year-old gelding Catoggio took out the Listed VRC Amanda Elliot Stakes (1400m)  for Rosemont Stud and partners, who also race the second horse Bosustow.