Scratched on the eve of the Cox Plate due to an elevated temperature, Zaaki (GB) bounced back to dominate Saturday’s $2,000,000 Group 1 Paramount+ Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) under a front running masterpiece by the jockey of the carnival, James McDonald.
It was a record 10th winner at the Flemington Carnival for McDonald.
The champion Sydney-based rider embraced the previous holder Brett Prebble after crossing the line after Prebble chased the winner home on Cascadian.
McDonald had little hesitation in taking up the running on Zaaki (GB), who put the race to bed on the turn.
Despite tiring late, the son of Leroidesanimaux (BRZ) had a length and a quarter margin over Cascadian (New Approach), with the winner’s stablemate Mo'unga (Savabeel) a further length and a quarter back in third.
“I was so nervous beforehand,” Neasham admitted.
“It’s so good for the team, Todd and Raphael, who have been down here for six weeks and still running the show back at home. It’s a good team effort.
“He looked a bit fresh in the run. He obviously hadn’t run for a month, but it was a beautiful ride by James, who can do no wrong at the moment.
“I knew at the top of the straight that he had such a lapful of horse that I knew it would take a good one to run him down. It’s superb and Mo’unga and I’m very proud of him.”
McDonald said the last few weeks had been a dream.
“It is probably my greatest three weeks in the saddle,” McDonald enthused.
“It started with The Everest, and it comes down to this fantastic carnival. I got some brilliant rides and to take home the holy grail, the Melbourne Cup, it’s been the highest achievement.
McDonals said he was unfazed that Zaaki (GB) had a month between runs.
“I said that was probably good for him. He felt nice in trackwork the other morning, but he swapped and changed legs. Today he went straight as a gun barrel and was happy as Larry.
“He’s a dominant horse, and that is what he can do when he’s in the zone.
“It’s a shame for the connections to miss two weeks ago but that’s racing. I’ll give credit to Annabel. She persevered and moved on and she’s got a great race today.
Just past the post Brett yelled out ‘son, son, come here’. That was really special to share. There’s a picture of me standing next to him 20 years ago and to compete against a great calibre of riders in this jockeys room over this carnival is something special. Hopefully, it continues.”
Zaaki (GB) added the Mackinnon to previous Group 1 wins in the BRC Doomben Cup and MRC Underwood Stakes and was his sixth win in his last seven starts.
The 6yo gelding advances his record to ten wins, three seconds and six thirds from 30 starts with earnings of $3,874,357.
Winner of the Group III York Strensall Stakes at York, Group III Diomed Stakes at Epsom and the Listed Paradise Stakes at Ascot when trained by Sir Michael Stoute, Zaaki (GB) was a 40,000gns purchase by Ahmad Alotaibi out of the Staffordstown draft at the 2016 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.
Zaaki (GB) was third behind Benbatl in the 2019 Group II Joel Stakes at Newmarket, a race the son of Dubawi won again recently.
Zaaki (GB) was bought by Blandford Bloodstock / Annabel Neasham Racing for 150,000gns out of the Freemason Lodge Stables draft at the 2020 Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale.
A half-brother to stakes-placed Kirks Ryker (Selkirk), the Kirsten Rausing-bred Zaaki (GB) is the best of six winners from eight to race out of the Sadler's Wells mare Kesara, a half-sister to the dual Listed stakes-winner Persona Grata (Sir Percy).
