The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained Lizzie L'Amour was successful in Thursday's Gr.1 New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie to become Zabeel's 46th individual Group One winner.
That elevated Zabeel to one ahead of his own champion sire Sir Tristram, who
also stood at Cambridge Stud and with whom he had been tied on 45 Group One
winners since Provocative's Gr.1 Queensland Oaks triumph last winter."It's quite amazing really. It was always on the cards that he might get that extra Group One winner to go one up on Sir Tristram," Sir Patrick said.
"He's got some three-year-olds still racing and his four-year-old crop is starting to hit its straps, so there was always a good chance that he would pick up more Group One winners.
"If he was alive today, he'd be 30 and to still be leaving Group One winners is remarkable really. Some older stallions don't seem to have the same strike rate later in their careers - certainly Sir Tristram didn't, though he did leave Brew in his final crop."
Sir Patrick was happy to deflect all the credit Zabeel's way, but admitted the Group One win to put Zabeel ahead of his career-making stallion Sir Tristram was emotional.
"It was quite moving," he said. "It made me recall the day he died and took me back to burying him beside Sir Tristram.
"I always said I'd be quite happy if they finished their careers on level pegging, but in fairness to Zabeel, he did deserve to get his nose in front, simply because a lot of Sir Tristram's Group One winners won solitary Group One races, whereas Zabeel has produced a lot more multiple Group One winners.
"Certainly when he finished his career, Sir Tristram was the greatest but I'd say even before yesterday, Zabeel had eclipsed his own sire. I'm just really chuffed for Zabeel."
Sir Patrick has been humbled by the international media response to Zabeel's landmark Group One win.
"Who would have thought he'd be back in neon lights around the world again now?" Sir Patrick said.
"I doubt very much if there will ever be two stallions, a father and son standing at the same farm, that can leave 45 and 46 Group One winners in New Zealand again. It's a tremendous achievement."
Lizzie L'Amour was bred and raced by Lorna and Gary Moore, who had enjoyed previous Group One success with another daughter of Zabeel, Bazelle, in the Auckland Cup and Zabeel Classic in 2005. – NZ Racing Desk.
