Blueblooded import Zeyrek (FR) may have earned a shot at the Group 1 Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes on day two of the Championships at Randwick following his win in the Group III Furphy Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Ridden by Tim Clark for Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes, the 6yo son of Sea The Stars defeated Sunshine Rising (FR) (Myboycharlie) by a length with Gear Up (IRE) (Teofilo) a length and a half back in third.
The runner-up at his most recent start in the Group III Sky High Stakes, Zeyrek (FR) advanced his record to five wins, three seconds, and a third from 20 starts with earnings of $475,722.
“He put the writing on the wall last start; he just drew a bad gate that day,” Michael Hawkes said.
“Unfortunately, he had to go back today, but he’s got a good turn of foot.
“I’d love to see him draw a barrier because if he can possie up midfield or even better, you’ll see a different horse.
“Last prep never went right for us; everything went wrong. This prep, everything has gone so right; he’s just put everything up in lights. He’s definitely going somewhere. He’s a really nice horse in the making.
“He might run in the QE (Queen Elizabeth). It’s a race we’ve always had thoughts of. We tried to stretch him out over a bit of ground, but he’s just got such a good turn of foot, he’s very explosive. Especially over 2000m at Randwick, I think he will be something special. I know it’s going to be a tough race, but it’s there, and we’ll decide as we get closer. It’s pretty exciting to have a horse of this quality.
“You’ve got to be in it to win it, but we’re just happy he won today, and he’s really turned the corner.”
The Aga Khan-bred son of Sea The Stars had two wins and two stakes placing in four starts in France for Alain de Royer-Dupre.
Purchased as a northern hemisphere 3yo by Rupert Legh and partners, Zeyrek (FR) is the only one of six foals out of the unraced Dalakhani mare Zerkaza to reach the track.
A half-sister to three stakes winners, including the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner Zarak (Dubawi), Zerkaza is a daughter of Zarkava, the Horse of the Year in Europe in 2008; Champion 3YO Filly in Europe in 2008; Champion 2YO Filly & 3YO Filly in France in 2007 & 2008.
Yulong has two half-sisters to Zeyrek, the Exceed And Excel mare Zerenda (FR) and the Fastnet Rock mare Zerziyna.
