We don’t see Darren Beadman at Scone races very often representing Godolphin, but he was there on Friday to greet a debut winner with an interesting pedigree.
The Tavistock x Zabeel cross has been amazingly successful in producing serious classic horses and the lesson has obviously not been lost on Godolphin with their three year-old homebred Tavistock gelding Tipitina turning in an eye-catching first up win.
Trained by James Cummings, Tipitina has had two trials most recently finishing sixth beaten under two lengths at Randwick over 1080m and was tasked with a 1400m maiden for his first outing.
In his pre-race chat, Darren Beadman was hopeful of a good showing, but declared the three year-old was a backward type that was still six months away and whatever he did would be improved upon.
Titpitina was allowed to find his feet by Grant Buckley and settled back in the field before launching his challenge.
Despite being held up in the straight when he had to change course, Tipitina showed a good gear change at the finish to surge late and win by three-quarters of a length running away.
He might be six months away, but that Brisbane Winter Carnival might be the place for Tipitina to put his hand up.
Tipitina is a half-brother to Group III placed Chenier and is the second winner from Zabeel's strong staying filly Zydeco, who won the Group II VRC Wakeful Stakes and was second in the Group I VRC Oaks.
Zydeco is a daughter of Group I MRC Thousand Guineas winner All Time High, a half-sister to the remarkable All Our Mob, a four time Group I winner from 1200m to 2000m.
The Tavistock x Zabeel cross has produced 12 stakes-winners at nearly 12% stakes-winners to runners highlighted by Group I winners Werther, Tarzino, Johnny Get Angry and Toffee Tongue.
Zydeco is now back in Australia and has a weanling colt by Epaulette and was covered last spring by Street Boss (USA).
