Zabeel (Sir Tristram - Lady Giselle, by Nureyev) seven-year-old Six O’Clock News evoked memories of a former New Zealand champion with his win in Saturday’s Group 2 Wellington Cup (2400m) at Trentham.

Six O’Clock News’s jockey Leith Innes wore the brown and gold colours made famous by the top stayer Castletown (One Pound Sterling - Mona Curragh, by Levmoss), who won the Wellington Cup when the event was run over two miles as a Group 1 event.

Paddy Busuttin trained Castletown while his son Trent oversees Six O’Clock News’s career in partnership with Natalie Young.

Innes had no favours aboard Six O’Clock News, who raced three-wide with cover for most of the race, but managed to get enough out of the durable stayer to beat last year’s Wellington Cup winner Spiro (Pyrus - Radio Rocket, by Harbor Prince) and The Jungle Boy (Jungle Pocket - Ballina Wave, by Lord Ballina).

The win was the second for Six O’Clock News in the space of a week after the gelding won the Group 3 Trentham Stakes. Six O’Clock News broke a three-year winning drought in the Wellington Cup lead-up event.

Cambridge Stud had further success on Saturday when Stravinsky (Nureyev - Fire The Groom, by Blushing Groom) gelding El Chico won the Listed Timaru Stakes (1400m) at Riccarton.

Permalink| Jan 28, 2012

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