Zamex surges late to claim second Highway
Zamex has unleashed another staggering finish to graduating from the Highway Handicap class with ease at Rosehill.
Despite trailing the leaders by five lengths with 200m left on the first heavy track he had encountered, the $2.80 favourite stormed home on Saturday to beat O’Lordy ($12) by half a length, with Eva Jean ($21) a head back in third.
The Matthew Dunn-trained three-year-old was only sent to Sydney after the controversial Eagle Farm track took the Queensland winter carnival out of calculations.
And the journey proved worthwhile as Zamex followed up his successful Highway debut by scoring in similar fashion.
Zamex had plenty of ground to make up when after running eighth at the 400 at Rosehill on June 3, and a fortnight later Tye Angland faced the same predicament over 1500m before Zamex gathered momentum on the home turn.
“At the point of the corner I was a little bit concerned but as soon as I asked him to quicken he let down well. At the 300 I knew I was building up to win the race,” Angland said.
Dunn’s wife, Keira, was not quite as optimistic, though excellent trackwork this week gave her some confidence.
“I guess the key to him is not to panic when you’re all the way back there,” she said.
“When you can finish off races as good as that, you’re always going to be close,” she said.
Zamex returns to the Dunn’s base at Murwillumbah on Sunday, with Dunn saying there were no regrets at bypassing last weekend’s Queensland Guineas at Doomben.
Provided Zamex recovers, the Group Three Sunshine Coast Guineas (1600m) on July 1 is his next target.