Carrying the colours sported by Hitotsu in last year’s Victoria Derby, the Snitzel filly Zennzella was all courage in Saturday’s Group II Racing and Sports Wakeful Stakes (2000m) at Flemington.
Ridden by James McDonald for Ciaron Maher and David Eustice, Zennzella took up a forward position from an outside barrier. Hitting the front a long way out, the daughter of Snitzel kept up a relentless gallop to defeat the American Pharoah (USA) filly Pavitra by a long neck with two lengths back to the Deep Impact (JPN) filly As Times Goes by in third.
The Toronado (IRE) filly Queen Air put in a fine Victoria oaks trial with a fast-finishing fourth.
Zennzella broke her maiden at her most recent start with a four and three-quarter length romp over 1600m on the Pakenham Synthetic.
David Eustice said they will wait before committing to a start in the Oaks.
“We’ve always felt she’s a nice filly, we’ve just been very patient with her,” Eustice said.
“We were keen not to kick her off on heavy tracks, so we had to bite the bullet and run on the synthetic, she won really well, and she just thrived from that run so we came here today quite confident.
“James gave her the most beautiful ride, he waited and waited, and conserved energy and we said to him beforehand that’d be the key, just how seasoned is she so I thought she was very good, and he rode her extremely well.”
McDonald said it was a gutsy performance.
“She’s a beautiful big filly, great constitution never spends a penny before the race and even in the race,” McDonald said.
“That was a good, tough effort. I thought she was entitled to be beaten on the line, and she pulled out all the stops. It wasn’t really the position I wanted to be in to be fair, the leader was dropping off but I didn’t want to alter her momentum flowing into the straight, but she sustained a good gallop and it was a good job.”
Bred by Gerry Harvey, Zennzella was a $350,000 purchase for Kennewell Racing/Group 1 Bloodstock (FBAA) at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
She had two starts for Lloyd Kennewell before being transferred.
Zennzella is the first live foal of the triple Group III winning Zenno Rob Roy (JPN) mare Zennisto who was a $200,000 purchase for Baramul Stud at the 2018 National Broodmare Sale.
Zennisto has a yearling brother Zennzella and is back in foal to Snitzel.
Zennzella is the 128th stakes-winner for Arrowfield Stud’s champion Snitzel.
