Godolphin's Victoria Oaks heroine Zardozi bounced back from a sub-par performance in the Surround Stakes to claim Saturday's Group II Chandon Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill.
Ridden by Tom Marquand for James Cummings, the 3-year-old daughter of Kingman defeated the Snitzel filly Makarena by two lengths with the Hallowed Crown gelding Kintyre a nose back in third.
With her third stakes win, Zardozi advances her record to six wins and a second from 11 starts with earnings of $1,145,700.
"She is a class act. You've got to be prepared to forgive her for her first-up effort, there was a lot that went against her," Cummimgs said.
"She pulled up from the run well and trained on sweetly since then, so we stuck to our guns.
"The Phar Lap is a perfect race for her as a stepping stone to the Vinery (Stud Stakes), and now that she gets back to 2000 in a couple of weeks, she is going to look spot-on.
"A clash with Orchestral will be interesting.
"The win in the Group One VRC Oaks was pretty special. That was the win of a filly that had top-class Group One ability and that's the way this filly is headed.
"She has been a big price at her two runs back and (Godolphin form expert) Dominic Beirne had her odds-on in this race today.
"Hopefully, those that have stuck with her are rewarded, and she is the type of filly that is going to reward Godolphin in preparations ahead."
"He (Tom Marquand) had a bit of faith in the horse. He came out to the gallops at Osborne Park to help us out before her first-up run and just talking to him here, he had the same glint in his eye about her chances as I had and he stuck solid to the plan to save ground before turning for home.
"He’s a class rider who is hitting his straps now. We’re glad to have supported him from the moment he got here this campaign, and we will continue to do so.”
Zardozi is the first foal of the unraced Dubawi (IRE) mare Chanderi (GB), a 1,300,000gns purchase for Godolphin from the Highclere Stud draft at the 2017 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.
Chanderi (GB) is a daughter of the Dalakhani mare Silk Sari (GB), who won the Group II Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster by five lengths and was runner-up in the Group 1 British Champion Fillies/Mares Stakes at Ascot.
Silk Sari's half-sister Dreamlike (GB) (Oasis Dream) is the dam of Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young's Caulfield winner He's Our Bonneval (GB) (Siyouni).
Silk Sari (GB) is a granddaughter of the champion mare Gossamer (Sadler's Wells), a sister to former Widden Stud shuttler, Barathea (IRE).
Chanderi (GB) has an unraced 2-year-old Lonhro colt named Adinath and a yearling colt by Exceed and Excel. She was covered by Anamoe last spring.
