Three year-old Nathaniel colt Zechariah scored a dominant win overnight in the Group III Geoffrey Freer Stakes (1m 5 ½ f) at Newbury carrying the Aquis colours and holds entries for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.
Trained by Freddie and Martyn Meade, Zechariah was a short priced favourite and scored a powerful three and a half length win for Tommy Marquand breaking the course record.
Second and fourth at his past two starts in Group company, Zechariah has won three of nine starts with this victory his first in a Black Type race.
“I think 16-1 for the St Leger is fair. There's a bit of time between now and then and I think that's the plan for Zechariah. We'll discuss it with everyone, but Dad and I are never shy of having a pop. He was disappointing at Newmarket, but I think we ran him back too quickly after his good run at Ascot,” said Freddie Meade.
“He won the Haynes, Hanson and Clark on good to soft, so goes on most ground - I just don't think he wants extremes. He's also in the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup and he's got Australian connections so we'll talk to them with regard to that.”
Purchased for £40,000 by Dermot Farrington at the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale at Doncaster in 2020, Zechariah is the best of three winners from Group II placed Pivotal mare Nancy O, a daughter of Canadian Horse of the Year Arravale.
Zechariah is the 28th stakes-winner for Galileo son Nathaniel, best known for siring champion mare Enable and this year’s Epsom Derby winner Desert Crown.
