Triple Crown’s star 3YO Mazu made light work of his third stakes victory in the $140,000 ATC Darby Munro S. 1200m LR, driving clear of Bacchanalia and Arrowfield’s filly Smirnova for his fifth success from 9 starts.
It’s also the fourth stakes win in less than 3 weeks for second season sire Maurice, following Hitotsu’s Australian Guineas G1 & Mazu’s Fireball S. LR on 5 March, and Jack d’Or’s course record-breaking victory in Japan’s Chukyo Kinko Sho G2 on 13 March.
The six-time Group 1 winner is now the leading active sire of his generation in Japan, behind Duramente who died last year, and holds second spot on the Australian Second Season Sires’ table with 26 winners and earnings of $3.7 million.
Mazu is one of five winners out of Group-placed city winner Chatelaine (by Flying Spur) whose first foal Headway won the 2009 Coolmore Stud S. G1 and was runner-up in Phelan Ready’s Golden Slipper.
Offered by his breeder Parsons Creek Farm at the Inglis Classic Sale, Mazu was a $180,000 purchase by Triple Crown’s Chris & Michael Ward and is trained by Peter & Paul Snowden.
The difficult decision to geld him after his Brian Crowley S. LR win last October has been rewarded this time in with three successive victories and more than $260,000 in prizemoney – fulfilling the promise of his name which is Japanese for “in the first place.”
Mazu’s main Autumn target remains the $1 million Arrowfield 3YO Sprint G2 on the second day of The Championships and his trainers are confident he can succeed in the best company.
Says Paul Snowden, “It’s probably more about next preparation with him and where he can go from this prep. I’ve got no doubt he will get to the top level, it’s just a matter of time.”
