The $1,000,000 Group 1 Doomben 10000 at Eagle Farm changed complexion dramatically in the final 100 metres as the three-year-old Mazu and Paulele singled out.
To the delight of fans, the favourite Mazu rallied to hold Paulele (Dawn Approach) by a short-head to give popular jockey Sam Clipperton his third Group 1 winner and a first since English (2016 All Aged Stks).
The New Zealander Entriviere (Tavistock) rocketed home to be a further half length back in third.
The second Group 1 winner of the season for Maurice (JPN), the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained gelding advanced his record to seven wins, and a third from 11 starts with earnings of $1,755,850.
Clipperton admitted that he never felt like the winner in the run.
“I was thinking at the 600m, we’re in strife,” he said.
“He was chasing a hot speed and was out of his comfort zone. He really wasn’t sure on the surface.
“It is a different heavy track, but I just tried to pick him up as best I could and get him as far down the straight on the bridle.
“He’s just a star, this horse. He knows how to win and we’ve got a great rapport with each other.
“Even when I was concerned, he was always going to pick up and I just had to have faith in the horse. In the end I got to the front too early and he thinks his job is done.
“He’s just a winner. You raise the bar and he jumps it and I feel very grateful to be on a horse of his calibre.
“I must thank Peter and Paul Snowden, they’ve just been amazing to my career over the last 12 months and I feel we work really well together.
“The team at Triple Crown as well. I’m coming to Brisbane to ride a Group 1 favourite; they could have got anybody and stuck with me.”
A $180,000 purchase by Triple Crown Syndications out of the Parsons Creek Pastoral draft at the 2020 Classic Yearling Sale, Mazu is a half-brother to Headway (Charge Forward), crowned the 2008-09 Champion 2yo Filly in Australia. Her four wins included the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes and was runner-up in the Golden Slipper.
Mazu is out of the multiple stakes-placed Flying Spur mare Chatelaine, who has a weanling colt by Toronado (IRE) and was covered by King’s Legacy last spring.
