The Matthew Dunn-trained Zelgaria became the eighth 2yo winner of the season in Australia for Snitzel following a professional win in the Racecourse Village Maiden Plate (1200m) at Eagle Farm on Wednesday.
Brodie Loy had the strapping colt in a stalking position on the turn. He kept whacking away in the straight to defeat Oberoi Princess (Dracarys) by a half-length, with Big Boy Ben (Better Than Ready) a half-head back in third.
Zelgaria debuted with a second in the QTIS Jewel Prelude at Eagle Farm on March 4, won by the Trapeze Artist colt Spin Doctor, who is a favourites chance in the $500,999 Sky Racing QTIS Jewel at Doomben.
“There is a long way to go with him. He probably ran well enough to win first-up but just wobbled when he got to the front, and again today, he was always going to get it done, but at what point?’ Dunn said.
“He did not show enough gate speed to hold those horses out, and he was further back than we thought.
“He is a nice colt, but I do not know how much further we will go with him. I will assess him when I get home and work out where we go.
”Both his runs have been great, and it’s good to get the win on the board, and there is plenty of improvement.
“We bought him in Melbourne last year with ambitions to get him going as a late two-year-old.”
A $210,000 purchase for M Dunn / N Jenkinson (FBAA) from the Widden Stud draft at the 2022 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Zelgaria is the seventh winner from nine to race for the unraced Commands mare Berengaria.
The star of the team is the Group 1 VRC Myer Classic winner Politeness (Street Sense), while Zelgaria’s brother Green Aeon won the Group III ARC Concorde Handicap.
Zelgaria’s half-sister More Bubbles (Sebring) is the dam of the Group 1 Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes winner On The Bubbles (Brazen Beau).
Berengaria died in 2021 and Zelgaria is her final foal.
In addition to eight 2yo winners in Australia, Snitzel has two winners from three starters in New Zealand including the Listed Challenge Stakes winner Ethereal Star.
