New SW for Power - Zecora Wins G3 Swap Sprint

Media Release - Saturday December 16

Promising mare Zecora made a welcome return to the winners’ enclosure at Te Rapa when she stormed home out wide to secure a thrilling victory in the Gr.3 J Swap Sprint (1400m).

Zecora snatches victory on the line in the Gr.3 J Swap Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa on Saturday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)

The six-year-old mare by Power (GB) looked to have any amount of ability when winning three of her first nine starts before a fractured cannon bone intervened and saw her spend over a year away from the track for trainers and part-owners Russell and Robyn Rogers.

A quiet run for second in a 1000m trial at Taupo last month preceded her return to racing at Te Rapa earlier in the month, where she battled on nicely to finish midfield over 1100m.

That fitted her nicely for her stakes mission and she didn’t disappoint in the hands of Lynsey Satherley who was content to sit back off a hot speed in the early stages of the contest.

Advertisement

Satherley began to wind her up at the 600m and she produced an irresistible late burst to snatch victory from runner-up Tevere by a nose at the line with race favourite Romancing The Moon fighting strongly for third just a neck from the first two.

Robyn Rogers sported a smile a mile wide as she spoke about the winning effort as well as the injury that kept the mare away from racing.

“I thought she ran second and we were stoked with that as it was a huge run, so when they said she had won it was just so exciting,” Rogers said.

“She is a beautifully bred mare and her form was outstanding but she had her last bit of work at this time last year when we were preparing for a stakes race on Boxing Day and she pulled up sore.

“We had her x-rayed and she had fractured a canon bone, so that was the end of that and we thought it might be the end of her career.

“She had three rods and plates put in it, but she was an awesome patient and coped with the rehab.

“This was very much a roll of the dice as we were thinking if we could get some black type it would be huge for her and with the race being just down the road we gave it a crack and it is just amazing.”

Rogers wasn’t sure where the mare would go next as they had been concentrating exclusively on her immediate mission.

“She is just so tough and Lynsey is a huge part of it as she rides her in all her trackwork,” she said.

“She is not the easiest but she gives 120 per cent.

“I don’t know where she will go next and we hadn’t even looked anywhere else so we will have to go home and have a rethink.”

Bred by Kendayla Park, Zecora is out of the two-race winner C’est la Vie, a sister to Gr.1 Railway Handicap (1200m) Imananabaa and has now won four of her 10 starts and over $166,000 in prizemoney.  She is the 27th stakes-winner for Power, who now stands in Queensland at Oakklands Stud.- LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Ka Ying Rising connection draws Hayes team to Shamexpress at Karaka
With one of the world’s most exciting sprinters flying the flag for David Hayes in Hong Kong, it has been no surprise to see the trainer’s sons zeroing in on progeny of Windsor Park Stud stallion Shamexpress during the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka this week.
Vale, Danny Champion
The thoroughbred racing industry is in mourning following the passing of respected horseman Danny Champion.
Stakes Success for Kendayla Park
Patience paid big dividends for Robyn and Russell Rogers at Te Rapa on Saturday when their mare Zecora broke through for her maiden stakes victory in the Gr.3 J Swap Sprint (1400m).
Blockbuster Sale as NZB Ready to Run Records Tumble
Expectations were exceeded at Karaka with tremendous results witnessed across two days of selling at NZB’S 2024 Ready to Run Sale, confirming the demand for proven racetrack results and quality New Zealand-prepared horses.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Castelvecchio has gone from nowhere to somewhere during the course of this spring with three stakes-winners putting his name in lights and he had a promising three year-old colt salute at Hawkesbury on Thursday that has now won two of three starts.
Arkansaw Kid Brother Sells for $520,000
A well-related son of Harry Angel provided a late highlight in the final hour of the 2024 NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka on Thursday when he was knocked down to a $520,000 bid from bloodstock agent Morgan Carter.
Million-dollar Hour for Leung at NZB Ready To Run
Hong Kong bloodstock agent Willie Leung had a big hour at Karaka early on Thursday afternoon, spending more than $1 million to secure two well-credentialled colts at the NZB Ready to Run Sale.
Churchill Colt Pulls Off Stunning Pinhooking Result at NZB Ready To Run
Chad Ormsby has enjoyed plenty of racetrack success this year with pinhooks that he has been unable to sell at the Ready to Run Sale, but the multi-talented horseman had a very different outcome with the standout member of his 2024 Riverrock Farm draft at Karaka on Thursday.
Sires With Winners - Thursday November 21
Here is the full list of 32 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Castelvecchio Out for Remainder of Season
Aeliana’s late charge into second place in the $1.5million Group I MRC Thousand Guineas last Saturday stamped her as the filly to follow out of the race, but it wasn’t quite enough to put her sire Castelvecchio to the top of the second season sires list and he is now out of service at Arrowfield following surgery last week.