Trainer Leon Corstens will heed the advice of champion jockey Damien Oliver and continue Zabeelionaire’s campaign to next month’s Group One Queensland Derby.
Oliver rode the colt to victory over Sabrage and Westsouthwest in the Group One South Australian Derby (2500m) at Morphettville on April 21.
“Damien said the Queensland Derby would be very winnable so I thought he knows what he’s talking about so I’d better take his advice,” Corstens said.
The trainer said the extended campaign would cut into the time required to get the colt ready for the spring.
“It’ll throw a spanner into the works as far as the spring goes but we’ll just have to see how we’re going with him at the time,” he said.
Zabeelionaire has had 11 starts for three wins and a second through two racing preparations.
“I’ve always said whatever he does this time around he’ll improve on immensely,” Corstens said.
The colt ran fourth to Sangster as a maiden at his fifth start in the Group One Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington last spring and was spelled.
He has won three of six starts this time, breaking through by eight lengths in a 1700m maiden on the Geelong Synthetic track when second-up on March 29.
Two starts later he won over 2000m at Caulfield, powering home from near the rear to beat Chieftain Jack by 2-1/2 lengths with Campeao.
Oliver rode Zabeelionaire for the first time in the SA Derby and brought him home by a half-length with a rail-hugging ride.
Zabeelionaire is $3.70 favourite with TAB Sportsbet for the Queensland Derby (2400m) on June 9.
The Peter Moody-trained Soros, a last start Flemington 2000m winner, is at $5 with Miss Artistic at $6 and another Moody three-year-old, VRC St Leger (2800m) winner Vatuvei, at $9.
A third Moody horse, last-start Rough Habit Plate (2000m) winner Brambles, is at $13.
