Zloties began her career in February 2022 but was off the scene following that win until early last month when Grahame Begg produced the recently turned five-year-old to win at Geelong.
The mare was down to run at Sandown last week, but the meeting was abandoned just as runners for the race she was engaged in arrived at the start.
Begg brought the mare back to Sandown on Wednesday for the Senet Gambling Law Experts Handicap (1300m) with Zloties landing a last gasp victory.
She's smart! 👌
Lightly-raced mare, Zloties, storms home & nails Walk Of Fame on the post 🚀 @Grahame_Begg @JChilds47 pic.twitter.com/ry3NE2lEMu
— Racing.com (@Racing) September 4, 2024
Sent out the $2.80 favourite under Jordan Childs, Zloties scored a short-head win from Walk Of Fame ($10) with Jordy Girl ($41) a further 1-¾ lengths away third.
Begg said Zloties was plagued with stress fractures in her shoulders which required time and patience.
“We had to stop and start again on a couple of occasions,” Begg said.
“She’s such a big, framed horse, and she put on a lot of condition when in the paddock getting over her problems.
“We ended up sending her up to Darren Weir’s to work in the heavy sand. He did a lot of work to get her fitness levels up and the weight off without doing it too quickly.
“We couldn’t get the weight off without too much pressure and we were reluctant to want to force her with the issues that she did have.”
Begg does not know where the ceiling is for Zloties, but believes getting to a big spring race could come too soon.
He said the mare would not have the rating to get into any of the bigger races and will race her through her grades in a bid to build her confidence and rating.
“She’s untapped,” Begg said.
“It’s very hard to win two on the bounce these days, even if you go from a maiden to a Class 1, so to go to a Benchmark 70 race is a feather in her cap.
“She’s got good potential going forward and we’ll have to work our way through the system.”
