Probabeel has delivered a major upset of the spring by lowering the colours of odds-on favourite Zaaki in the Group 1 Might And Power on Saturday.
Zaaki was attempting his sixth win in a row and was sent out the $1.28 favourite in Saturday’s 2000m weight-for-age contest.
The Annabel Neasham-trained galloper had won the Group 1 Underwood Stakes at Sandown at his previous outing and Saturday’s race was expected to be a “walk in the park” for the Cox Plate favourite.
But no-one bothered to tell Brett Prebble, who landed his fourth Melbourne Group 1 victory of the spring by guiding the Jamie Richards-trained Probabeel to victory.
In a stirring finish, Probabeel ($8) got her head down on the line to nose out Nonconformist ($16) with Zaaki a further 1-¼ lengths away third.
Zaaki drifted from $1.80 to $2.50 with TAB for the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley on October 23 while Probabeel firmed from $26 into $8 to share the second line with Verry Elleegant.
Prebble thought he had been beaten and went as far as congratulating Jordan Childs on his victory aboard Nonconformist who he thought was his biggest danger on Saturday.
“I was really concerned about Jordie’s horse today,” Prebble said.
“I liked the way it won and I was a big negative against the fav on the firm track, and I was right.
“She was all guts. I was out in the last 100 (metres). She had nothing left but every time I kept lifting, she kept trying her heart out.
“It was all guts and determination and a good finish.
“I actually congratulated Jordie. I owe him a bottle of champagne, that was bad form.”
Craig Williams said it was disappointing that the winning streak of Zaaki had come to an end.
“The positive from the race is that he’s still got improvement in him,” Williams said.
“He was a little bit fresh and keen in the first half of the race and when they put the tempo on, they outsprinted him.
“He’s not as comfortable around Caulfield and even when they outsprinted him late, he still stuck on.
“We didn’t win this battle, but the war isn’t over.”
