Zumbelina and Pursuit Of Hoour might not have made the cut for the spring three-year-old features, but their trainer Chris Waller expects them to step up in the autumn.
Both came to Rosehill on Saturday after lower-grade wins and proved their class with Zumbelina taking out the Club Marconi Handicap (1300m) and Pursit Of Honour in the Cosmedic Central Handicap (1400m).
Zumbelina ($3.90) was dominant late to put three lengths on Cadogan ($4.40) with the $2.70 favourite, Melbourne filly Mandee, disappointing when fourth in the five-horse field, 10 lengths from the winner.
Richard Treweeke, the lesser known of champion Winx’s owners, races Zumbelina.
“Richard gets just as much joy out of winning a race like today as he does the big ones,” Waller said.
“He bred Zumbelina and that’s a big thing. She is a very nice filly and there’s another race here over 1400 metres in a fortnight.
“Then we might think about the autumn.”
Waller’s former apprentice Rory Hutchings was aboard Zumbelina while Tye Angland picked up the ride on Pursuit Of Honour with Jason Collett suffering a broken bone in his foot in a race fall on Friday night.
The $2.50 favourite, Pursuit Of Honour, a grandson of multiple Group One-winning mare Slight Chance, lived up to his supporters expectations to beat Der Meister ($9) by three-quarters of a length.
“He will also run in two weeks time,” Waller said.
“These races are good for them to win ahead of preparations for the autumn.
“Pursuit Of Honour is a bit one-paced but he’s working it out and has a bright future.
Adam Hyeronimus was the recipient of another Collett ride aboard Darts Away, the $19 winner of the Highway Handicap ($1400m).
Trained by Barbara Joseph and her son Paul Jones, Darts Away belied his odds with a decisivive two-length win over Nic’s Vendetta ($5).
Jones said he and connections would now have some decisions to make whether to pursue more races or protect Darts Aways’ eligibility for next autumn’s Country Championshops.
“He’s had 17 starts now and they can only have 20 to stay eligible and he can have one more win so we’re going to have to massage things a bit.”
