Bolton (Zabeel - Real Success, by Success Express) became the 139^th individual stakes winner for super Cambridge Stud sire Zabeel (Sir Tristram - Lady Giselle, by Nureyev) with his sharp win in Saturday’s Listed Mornington Cup Prelude (2000m).

Original owner Lloyd Williams paid $425,000 for Bolton at the 2008 Australian Easter Yearling Sale before unloading the gelding a new syndicate of owners that includes Katie Davenport, a part owner of powerhouse sprinter Hay List (Statue Of Liberty - Sing Hallelujah, by Is It True).

Bolton settled midfield before showing a neat turn of foot to open a gap on his opposition soon after entering the straight. The consistent stayer Montgomery (Montjeu - All Zalute, by Zabeel) finished off well but could only get within three-quarters of a length of Bolton on the line.

Bolton’s trainer Stephen Brown said he would resist the temptation to run the five-year-old in the Listed Mornington Cup over 2400 metres, a race that carries automatic qualification to the Caulfield Cup (2400m) to the winner.

“People keep saying the Mornington Cup but 2400 (metres) appears to be a bit beyond him,” Brown said.

Bolton is the second stakes winner out of Real Success (Success Express - Pas de Course, by Pas Seul). The mare also threw the Group 1 Queensland Oaks winner Vouvray (Zabeel - Real Success, by Success Express).

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.

Zephyron (3 Zabeel - Diamond Like, by Danehill) was the most expensive yearling sold in Australia or New Zealand in 2010 when fetching $2 million and he repaid $6,825 of that when winning his Maiden at Cranbourne on Friday.

Judging by the manner of victory Zephyron will be earning more for his connections as well. Allowed to settle off the speed by Michael Rodd, Zephyron was pulled out wide in the straight and he powered home over the top of older horses to win the $12,000 SRS Motors Cranbourne Maiden (1300m) by 1 1/4 lengths at his first start this preparation.

Trained at Flemington by Mark Kavanagh for John Camilleri’s Fairway Thoroughbreds, Zephyron showed promise in two runs earlier this year in Melbourne and he certainly looks better suited over further distance.

Bred by Sir Patrick and Lady Justine Hogan at their Cambridge Stud, Zephyron has a half-sister by High Chaparral being offered by Cambridge at the NZB Premier Yearling Sale in January, the fourth living foal of Diamond Like, stakes winner of the Lightning Hcp at Trentham and a sister to Gr 1 winner Viking Ruler and Gr 2 winner Kempinsky.

Saturday’s Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock Caulfield Stakes (2000m) will have a distinctly international feel with runners bred in three continents engaged.

Australian-bred gallopers Sincero (Umatilla - Yours As Always, by Prego) and Whobegotyou (Street Cry - Temple Of Peace, by Carnegie) will represent the local contingent. The Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) winner Lion Tamer (Storming Home - Lioness, by Generous) and Lights Of Heaven (Zabeel - I’m In Heaven, by Volksraad) look the best of the New Zealand-bred contingent.

Irish-bred improver At First Sight (Galileo - Healing Music, by Bering) ran the subsequent Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) winner December Draw to a half-length in the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m) last time out to show his Caulfield Cup credentials at the right time.

French-bred but Hong Kong-trained gelding Mighty High (Peintre Celebre - Bernimixia, by Linamix) is the other former European runner in the Caulfield Stakes. Mighty High worked home well under unfavourable weight conditions when third in open company at Caulfield on September 24.

The Luca Cumani-trained Sahara Sun (Milt’s Overture - Dalaika, by Hussonet) brings a South American connection to the $400,000 race. Sahara Sun won three of 11 starts in Chile before the Australian-based OTI Racing syndicate purchased the four-year-old with a view to competing in the Melbourne spring.

Sahara Sun finished sixth of eight at his first and only run for Cumani at Doncaster on September 7.

Click here for the full field for Saturday’s Group 1 Caulfield Stakes.

Imported galloper December Draw (Medecis - New York, Danzero) will start as the favourite for Sunday’s Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington.

December Draw is a warm favourite for the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m). The Mark Kavanagh-trained gelding has drawn barrier eight in the 14-strong field for the $500,000 feature.

The Lloyd Williams-owned Macedon Lodge operation has accepted to start three runners in the Turnbull Stakes.

Williams will run the 2007 Melbourne Cup winner Efficient (Zabeel - Refused The Dance) in the race as well as At First Sight (Galileo - Healing Music, Bering) and Linton (Galileo - Our Heather, by Centaine).

Group 1 AJC Australian Derby winner Shamrocker (O’Reilly - Bohemian Blues, by Blues Traveller) will be out to produce an improved performance after her disappointing effort in the Group I Underwood Stakes (1800m) on September 17.

Click here for the full fields for Sunday’s Turnbull Stakes and the support card for the Flemington meeting.

Cambridge Stud sire Zabeel (Sir Tristram - Lady Giselle, by Nureyev) is likely to have a strong hand in Saturday’s Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield after four of his progeny were among the 23 entries received for the $350,000 feature.

The Melbourne Cup runner-up Maluckyday (Zabeel - Natalie Wood, by Yachtie) is a possibility to make his first appearance of the Victorian spring carnival in the Underwood Stakes. The Peter Moody-trained Group 1 winner Lights Of Heaven (Zabeel - I’m In Heaven, by Volksraad) will be out to record her first win of her four-year-old season after defeats as a short-priced favourite in the Group 2 Memsie (1400m) and Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m).

Zabeel’s 2007 Melbourne Cup-winning son Efficient (Zabeel - Refused The Dance, by Defensive Play) is entered for his first run since the 2009 Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m).

Below is the full list of nominations for the Underwood Stakes.

The unique white mare The Opera House (Zabeel - Carmina Burana, by Star Way) has discarded her maiden status in no uncertain terms at Thursday’s Gosford meeting.

The Opera House is believed to be the only white yearling to pass through a sales ring in Australia. The three-quarter sister to champion galloper Might And Power (Zabeel - Benediction, by Day Is Done) posted a two-length success in the Video Ezy Maiden Plate (1800m) at her ninth attempt.

Cameron Swan, representing winning trainer Kris Lees, said the four-year-old should get even better with extra distance in the future.

“She won very well today,” Swan said.  “I think the run the other day over the distance helped her out today.”

“The way she won today it didn’t look like another few hundred of metres would have worried her.”

New Zealand operation Cambridge Stud tasted dual success on the other side of the Tasman Sea with stakes winners at the Rosehill and Doomben meetings on Saturday.

The Roger James-trained Firebolt (Stravinsky - Woodsong, by Woodman) scored Cambridge Stud first stakes win of the day in the Group 3 Lord Mayor’s Cup (1615m) at Doomben. Firebolt’s comfortable victory was the eighth of his career and his second stakes win after the son of Stravinsky (Nureyev - Fire The Groom, by Blushing Groom) won the Group 2 Shannon Stakes (1500m) during the 2010 Sydney spring carnival.

Cambridge Stud legend Zabeel (Sir Tristram - Lady Giselle, by Nureyev) earned the 323^rd stakes win of his illustrious career when Ironstein prevailed in the Listed W J McKell Cup (2400m) at Rosehill. The W J McKell Cup was Ironstein’s second stakes win.

Meanwhile, another New Zealand breeder gained an Australian stakes winner when the classy Savabeel (Zabeel - Savannah Success, by Success Express) filly Scarlett Lady took out the Group 3 Doomben Roses (2020m) in Brisbane.

The impressive Doomben Roses win was Scarlett Lady’s fifth straight victory and her third in succession at stakes level. The Graeme Rogerson-trained filly will now progress to the Group 1 Queensland Oaks and possibly the Group 1 Queensland Derby next month.

Cambridge Stud champion sire Zabeel (Sir Tristram - Lady Giselle, by Nureyev) edged closer to a century of winners for the season with a pair of successes at Thursday’s Bendigo meeting.

The Lloyd Williams-owned Institute (Zabeel - Silk Slipper, by Woodman) Zabeel’s double with his debut win in the Mosstrooper Steeple Day 19/6 Maiden Plate (1600m). The three-year-old was a $180,000 purchase at the 2009 Karaka Premier Yearling Sale.

Institute’s dam Silk Slipper (Woodman - Dancing Show, by Nijinsky II) is a half-sister to the Group 1 winners and successful stallions Umatilla (Miswaki - Dancing Show, by Nijinsky II) and Hurricane Sky (Star Watch - Dancing Show, by Nijinsky II). Silk Slipper is also a half-sister to Shantha’s Choice (Canny Lad - Dancing Show, by Nijinsky II), who is the dam of champion Arrowfield sire Redoute’s Choice (Danehill - Shantha’s Choice, by Canny Lad) as well as Group 1 winners Platinum Scissors (Danehill - Shantha’s Choice, by Canny Lad) and Manhattan Rain (Encosta De Lago - Shantha’s Choice, by Canny Lad).

Flemington trainer Russell Cameron produced Zabeel’s other winner when Bigmissy (Zabeel - Normandy River, by Karensky) took out the Bendigo Ford Maiden Plate (1600m). Bigmissy did not pass through a sales ring prior to beginning her career.

Zabeel’s dual success left the legendary stallion on 88 wins for the season.

The Zabeel (Sir Tristram - Lady Giselle, by Nureyev) / Danehill (Danzig - Razyana, by His Majesty) cross proved profitable at Sunday’s Sandown Lakeside meeting with wins in the first and last races.

Heidilicious (Zabeel - Kerkira, by Danehill) was the cross’s first success of the day in the Jeannie King Handicap (1600m). The filly’s win was her second from four starts, justifying the Team Corstens Stayers’ Fund’s decision to pay $160,000 for her at the 2009 Karaka Sale.

The Robert Hickmott stable produced another likely type when Resetable (Zabeel - Assertiveness, by Danehill) took out the Ahern’s At Highways Handicap (1500m). Owner Lloyd Williams outlaid $200,000 for the gelding at the 2008 Inglis Easter sale.

The Zabeel / Danehill cross has yielded Group 1 winners Vengeance Of Rain (Zabeel - Danelagh, by Danehill) and Dizelle (Zabeel - Danelagh, by Danehill). A Zabeel cross with Danehill’s sire Danzig (Northern Dancer - Pas De Nom, by Admiral’s Voyage) produced the Cox Plate winner Maldivian (Zabeel - Shynzi, by Danzig).

Meanwhile, Balaq’s (Keeper - Cheval Noir, by Grosvenor) win in the Strait Shipping Handicap (1000m) at Waterlea completed a treble for Cambridge Stud sires. Balaq provided Keeper with his 46^th success of the season.

Veteran stayer Zavite sprang a 100/1 surprise in yesterday’s Ranvet Stakes (Gr 1) making virtually all the running in the 2000 metre event. This season’s Caulfield Cup winner Descarado looked the likely winner when he moved alongside into the straight and got  in front at the 200 metre marker but Zavite refused to give in and he came back to defeat Descarado (High Chaparral) by half a head.

Hawk Island (Hawk Wing) ran on well for third ahead of the race favourite Maluckyday, who never appeared to be travelling well in the sticky going.

“He is just a sensational racehorse and absolutely loves what he is doing,” trainer Anthony Cummings said. “He has been working up to this, I was really pleased with his first up run, once he is in a rhythm he just keeps going.”

“He is about the oldest bloke in the stable, older than me included, I bought him and I said to the girls who I bought him with I thought he would be my Cups horse.

“We tried the Melbourne Cup a couple of times and he hasn’t quite got there. To tell you the truth he has won an Adelaide Cup and an Auckland Cup but he is probably better at a mile and a half. I said to Glen [Boss] when he went out he was very unlucky in the BMW last year on a similar sort of track and to just get him into a good rhythm.

Cummings, who bought Zavite (Zabeel - Miss Vita, by Alleged) for $80,000 as a yearling at the Easter Yearling Sale, confirmed the eight-year-old would go for the $2.25 million BMW (Gr 1) over 2400m in two weeks time and then on to Sydney Cup over 3200m at Randwick on April 23.

   One of Victoria’s most successful owners Lloyd Williams has nominated 20 horses for this year’s (more…)

With Group One racing in New Zealand and Australia complete for the 2009-2010 season, it’s an opportune time to see which stallions have performed best in the races that really matter – Group One competition. (more…)

There was a spring in the step of Cambridge Stud’s Sir Patrick Hogan this week when he called the NZTM office to inform us that Zabeel has been honoured by the Moonee Valley Racing Club. (more…)

Long term Melbourne Cup plans are on the agenda for progressive stayer Ironstein following his impressive win in Saturday’s $202,000 listed Caloundra Cup (2400m) at the Sunshine Coast. (more…)

New Zealand-bred horses have won 18 international Group One races during the current season and (more…)

Promising galloper Scouting Wide continued his rise through the staying ranks on Saturday with a strong win in the Listed McKell Cup (2400m) at Rosehill. (more…)

Streghetta, an unraced daughter of Listed winner Lucky Witch, topped Thursday’s session of the Great Southern Broodmare Sale when selling to Morning Rise Stud for $190,000. (more…)

The Inglis Great Southern Sale held in Victoria at the companies Oaklands Junction complex has received another supplementary entry in Streghetta (by Perugino). (more…)

When Jessicabeel claimed the Group 1 Sydney Cup at Randwick last Saturday the bonnie mare gave her sire, Zabeel, his 41st winner at the elite level. (more…)