Zunbaqa has extended her winning sequence to four and provided Ben Hayes with his first Flemington winner.
Hayes joined his father David and cousin Tom Dabernig at the start of the season in a training partnership with Lindsay Park.
In charge of stables in Adelaide and in Sydney during carnivals, Hayes was on the telephone to his father shortly after Zunbaqa took out the VRC Member John Gubbins Handicap on Saturday.
“He just rang in thrilled and it’s good to get a win for the partnership first-up, especially at Flemington,” David Hayes said.
Ridden by Dylan Dunn, Zunbaqa ($4.20) led throughout in scoring by 1-1/2 lengths from Benny Goes Beserk ($7) with the $3.20 favourite Decorated Soldier a short-neck away third.
After scoring at Geelong in June, Lindsay Park sent the daughter of More Than Ready to Adelaide for successive wins at Morphettville.
Hayes is now thinking of the spring.
“I think she’ll be a really good Edward Manifold Stakes filly over a mile here in a month or so,” Hayes said.
“She did have the advantage of that winter base and fitness on her but I think she can go on into the spring.”
