It seems a lifetime ago when Zanbagh came off a Ballarat maiden win to finish second to Kirramosa in the Group 1 Victorian Oaks.
In the meantime, the 7yo daughter of Bernardini (USA) has collected a pair of wins in the Group II Emancipation Stakes as well as ringing up number one in the Group 111 Keith F Nolan Classic.
While a win at the elite level has proven elusive, Zanbagh has banked over $1.2 million for the Tait family.
At a time when most of her contemporaries are lining up for their third or fourth season at stud, Zanbagh was lining up for her 41st start in Friday's Group III Tibbie Stakes (1400m) at Newcastle.
Carrying the top weight of 58.5 kgs the John Thompson-trained mare was stuck out on a limb, three wide without cover for the trip but still proved a half-length good for Ron Leemon's Perfect Rhyme (Poet's Voice) with a further half-length back to the Kim Waugh-trained Hetty Heights (Written Tycoon). (photos Steve Hart).
It advances the record of Zanbagh to 7 wins, 5 seconds and 2 thirds from 41 starts with earnings of $1,243,295.
"She's a great mare," Thompson said.
"She's consistent and she was probably the class horse of the field when Kris' mare (Invincible Gem) came out.
"She had a good horses weight and barrier 18 but she had Hugh Bowman on her back."
Hugh Bowman said his confidence was high despite the mare failing to beat a runner home in the Tramway Stakes.
"I gave her a pretty good chance because I finished close to her on McCreery in the Tramway, the race wasn't run to suit us last start and she finished just beside me," Bowman said.
"It was an awkward draw and she had to do all the work herself but she is a very well-performed mare and I thought she was well placed here today."
Thompson said the Group I Epsom Handicap on September 30 would likely be the next start for Zanbagh.
Carrying the
Her final foal is the 4yo New Approach gelding Zardalu who won two of his four starts.
