Zougotcha claims Group 1 Flight Stakes
Master trainer Chris Waller says he is happy to give Zougotcha a spell after her classy two-length win in the Flight Stakes at Randwick.
And even he doesn’t know how far she can go after the nature of her victory in the Group 1 feature over 1600m.
“The thing you don’t really know about horses is where is the ceiling? If you look after them they look after you,” Waller said.
“So I would say that will be her last run of the spring.
“We had a pretty short run up from the winter in Queensland so we don’t need to find out where the end is. We will give her a bit of a break and look forward to the autumn.”
2022 Flight Stakes Replay
Winning jockey James McDonald was left highly impressed with the performance from his developing three-year-old filly.
“She’s a star. She’s come on, her work during the week she’s been superb, she’s blossomed,” he said.
“She’s a really good filly, she adapted to the conditions well. She did her job.
“And there’s no reason why she can’t keep going. She had the acid test over the mile today, at 1400m she dug deep to win. She’s just on the upwards hop.”
Brenton Avdulla conceded he was disappointed aboard the $2.40 favourite, Fireburn, both combining to win this year’s Golden Slipper in stunning fashion.
The star filly hasn’t quite hit her straps this preparation, finishing fourth on Saturday, after respective fifths in the Run To The Rose and Golden Rose Stakes.
“I was a bit disappointed; 600m out I was never really in the race,” he said.
“Never travelled as well as she has in the past. I was out on my feet at the 150m, whether it was the seven day back-up.”