Most people would have been saddened today to learn of the passing of $4.5million earner Zipping at the age of 20.
Zipping had been enjoying a happy retirement with his paddock mate and Melbourne Cup winner Efficient at Living Legends and they announced the sad news of his paddock accident via Twitter.
Zipping was a $190,000 Inglis Easter purchase back in 2003 for Graeme Rogerson on behalf of Lloyd Williams and he was bred by Swettenham Stud.
The son of Danehill (USA) had five barrier trials before finally going to the races on the last day of his two year-old season winning at the Gold Coast in a 1300m juvenile maiden.
He had one start a week later at Eagle Farm and then missed his entire three year-old season due to injury before making rapid progress at four to reveal his true potential as an older horse.
Trained by Graeme Rogerson, John Sadler and finally Robert Hickmott, Zipping won 16 races and placed 10 times from 47 starts winning the Group II MRC Sandown Classic (2400m) at age five, six, seven and eight as well as posting Group I wins in the Australian Cup and Turnbull Stakes.
He was also third in a Cox Plate and three times fourth in the Melbourne Cup.
Horses like Zipping don’t come along very often, in times of old he was the horse you rode into battle when the speed and bravery of your mount is what kept you alive.
RIP Zipping.
