The Tulloch Lodge-trained four-year-old found the front as expected for jockey Tim Clark but was worked by Bartholomeu Dias for the first half of the race. However,he was able to kick down a gear in the straight for his fourth win in five starts at 2000m.
Tim Clark looks across as Zoumon holds off Bold Mac in the McKell Cup.Getty
“He had to show he was up to this level today and he did,so we might look towards the Caloundra Cup and Grafton Cup with him now,” co-trainer Adrian Bott said. “He is very strong this time in,and I like the way he adsorbed pressure and still had a kick. The 2400m will suit him now.
“He only had a light weight[53kg],and Tim was able to make it a true staying test. Tim rated him nicely,kept building into it,and when they challenged him he was able to find.”
Clark said that without the blinkers Zoumon,which was a well-backed $2.70 favourite,can see horses coming up at him and really dug in to hold off a late challenge from Bold Mac ($4.60) by short head,with Lord Ardmore ($9) three lengths away in third.
“He had a bit of company,but he’s a horse that relaxes well in his races and conserves his energy,” Clark said.
“He was well set up after that nice return over 1800,stepping to 2000 with the drop in weight;it looked a really good race for him.
“He really had to dig deep there at the furlong and he was really in for the fight.”
Tutta La Vita heads to the paddock a winner
Champion trainer Chris Waller gave Kerrin McEvoy credit for the change in tactics that delivered Tutta La Vita a two-year-old victory before a spell to have her ready for the Princess series in the spring.
McEvoy asked if he could ride Tutta La Vita outside the leader to take bad luck out of the equation with the $1.85 favourite,and she was good enough to get the better of Canadian Ruler ($12) and hold off an unlucky Gelatin ($17) charging into third.
“She is probably a better chaser,but the way the race looked there was no speed and it was better to be up there,” McEvoy said. “If I was semi-negative we could have ended up three pairs back.
“She stepped so well and was comfortable outside the leader. She got a little unbalanced coming to the turn and it took her a while to balance up,but in the final 100m she took control of the race.
“She is a nice filly with plenty of improvement left in her.”
The daughter of The Autumn Sun will spell to set for the Flight Stakes.
“She is very good filly and to get that win was important,but I think she will come into her own as she steps up in trip in the spring,” Waller said. “That’s why you use the good jockeys,because they make the right decisions that make the difference.”
The premier stable made it a double when Vienna Princess ($6) won later in the day.
‘Proper little horse’:Grebeni makes it a hat-trick
There might be one more run left in Grebeni this preparation after he completed a winning hat-trick at Rosehill on Saturday,but he already has Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou thinking about the spring.
There were doubts about Grebeni running out the 1800m on Saturday,but Kerrin McEvoy was able to get the $3 favourite to settle,and he proved too strong for Manbehindthemoney ($3.60) and Touristic ($5).
“He is a proper little horse,” Ryan said. “He is going to be better again in the spring and the future for this big group of owners is exciting.
“We were worried about him beyond the mile,but he was very strong there.
“We will have a look at him in the next couple of days and decide whether to have a crack at the Winx Guineas at the Sunshine Coast in a fortnight or just give him a spell to be ready for the spring.
“It is hard to know where he fits in at the moment,but there is plenty of improvement and wins left in him.”
Inside gate the highway to victory for Acappella Sun
Goulburn trainer Matt Dale would rather draw barrier one than any other gate,and it proved the difference for Acappella Sun in the Highway Handicap at Rosehill on Saturday.
The inside draw helped apprentice Amy McLucas find the box seat on the $5 second favourite and then the front at the top of the straight – maybe a little early – but she had the horse to hold on.
“That barrier is usually good,but last time it proved her undoing when she couldn’t get clear,” Dale said. “Amy wasn’t going to let that happen again today and got her into the clear early,and she did the rest. She really deserved that win and there is another Highway in her.”
McLucas is making a habit of winning Highways. The three-kilo claimer chalking up her sixth win in the country-restricted races. She is due to come out of her time next month but is likely to extend it for another year.
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