The Mark Walker trained blue-blood filly Zourion showed she could have untapped potential with a strong performance to win the Group II J Swap Contractors Ltd Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) in New Zealand on Saturday.
The Group Two event is the most sought after prize amongst the Matamata training fraternity and Walker was on top of the world as the daughter of Zoustar rattled home along the inner for rider Opie Bosson to defeat Central Districts raiders Lowe Flying and Pignan.
A first up win over 1100m at Taupo which was preceded by an easy trial win at Tauranga had Zourion tipped as one of the major contenders for the contest and she never gave her supporters cause for concern.
Zourion was a $475,000 purchase by Te Akau Racing boss David Ellis out of breeder Pencarrow Stud’s draft at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale at Karaka and is raced by Cambridge Stud principals Brendan and Jo Lindsay,
She is out of the four-race winner Irion, who was stakes placed in the Group II Rich Hill Mile (1600m) and is a daughter of Group II winner Dopff, the dam of stakes performer Octapussy, who in turn the dam of Pussy Willow and Pussy O’Reilly.
Walker admitted he had taken a punt lining up the filly in the race at just her second start, but believed she had the quality to be very competitive.
“She really is a high-class filly and she has it all ahead of her,” Walker said.
“You do have a think about whether you are doing the right thing by tackling a race like this so early in her career, but she is just so tough and thoroughly professional that it seemed well worth it.
“It is great to win a race like his for Brendan and Jo and the whole Cambridge Stud team and I think the best thing about it is that I have no doubt she will be even better as a three-year-old in her next campaign.
“I’m going to sit down and talk with the team but I’m leaning towards maybe spelling her now as she is in for a big season next time in with a number of very winnable races available to her.”
Zourion is the 34th stakes-winner for Widden Stud’s champion sire Zoustar.
