The Championships awaits Rosehill winner Zumbelina
THE Chris Waller-trained Zumbelina made it three consecutive wins when taking out the Bedford Rating 71 at Rosehill on Saturday.
The three-year-old daughter of Stratum faced only three rivals in the $100,000 handicap and it showed its class by putting away the field with ease.
Jockey Rory Hutchings let the filly settle from the barriers, but second favourite Cadogan put the pressure on around the turn. Hutchings stayed patient and Zumbelina responded without Hutchings asking for much.
“It was a funny sort of run race. We wanted to get back and come around them a bit, but I was going too good on the corner,” Hutchings said. “I just needed a gap, I knew I was going to run past it (Cadogan).
“Good horses get out of trouble. She put them away in two strides.”
Hutchings believes the filly has plenty of improvement in store as it heads towards a possible autumn campaign.
“That’s an improvement for her last win,” Hutchings said. “It was a similar field to last time, but she’s gone up in weight. She’s only going to go up from here.”
The three-year-old has now won over $160,000 in stake money and Waller believes the increase in NSW stake money makes every race important.
“We’ll keep building that bank balance and it’s not just about listed and group racing. Like I say every week, the prize money we’re racing for makes every race a listed race,” Waller said.
Waller is contemplating lining Zumbelina up in the 3YO Plate at Rosehill in two weeks time, but The Championships is also on the agenda.
“I’d say races like the P.J Bell and the James Carr during The Championships would be her goal,” Waller said.
“I know there’s a set weights three-year-old race in two weeks time over 1400 metres. It’ll be temping to run her there, I guess she’ll be well weighted. We’ll have a look at that, if not, we’ll put her aside for those two races I mentioned.”
Waller was pleased with the way Zumbelina found the line with the big weight of 60kg after being pocketed around the home turn.
“It’s just a pleasure to train horses like her,” he said. “Things didn’t really go against her today, I guess she had to accelerate with the big weight to get herself out of a little position, but it was pretty painless.”
Zumbelina was the heavily-backed favourite at $1.75 with CrownBet. Third favourite Fiery Trail battled on well for second with Cadogan, which made a move around the home turn, weakening out in third.