Godolphin’s Kingman (GB) filly Zardozi unleashed a withering burst of acceleration to claim the 165th running of the $1,000,000 Group I Kennedy Victoria Oaks (2500m) at Flemington.
Given a patient ride by James McDonald, Zardozi travelled sweetly midfield as Amazonian Lass led them through solid sectionals.
A threatening presence on the home turn with McDonald not moving a muscle, Zardozi put the race to bed in a matter of strides.
Given a kind ride over the final 100 metres, Zardozi defeated the solid finishing Saxon Warrior (JPN) filly Aethelfled by two and a quarter lengths with the Staphanos (JPN) filly Basilinna a further four and a quarter lengths back in third.
The Group II Edward Manifold Stakes winner at Flemington on October 7, Zardozi, was a fast-finishing second in the Group II Wakeful Stakes at Flemington last Saturday.
The Kingman (GB) filly advances her record to five wins and a second from nine starts with earnings of $973,700.
“It’s just a real privilege to be on the big stage with beautifully bred horses like this,” James Cummings said.
“She’s a real reflection of his honour, Sheikh Mohammed’s vision to have an international pedigree here in a VRC Oaks. For only a slender filly, she packed a punch at the end of a mile and a half, as we had full confidence in her to do.
“He’s (McDonald) absolutely nailed it. To win the Derby and the Oaks in the same Cup carnival is a great credit to James. He showed great nous early, got himself in a perfect position, and settled down eighth in his own space. I love that, and she let go like a weapon, that’s absolutely gold for her pedigree.
“It is a great exercise in patience and to have a belief in your horse. She had one or two hooves in the spelling paddock after those couple of (unplaced) runs. But we had great faith that she was going to be better than that, and she was just begging for me to step her up in distance.
“We didn’t quite lose the faith and persevered. A little bit like her pedigree. She is out of a mare that underperformed, but she is a granddaughter of a very talented Dalakani mare.
“Those bloodlines came to the fore, and it is a good recipe (to) find some good European staying blood and send them to a local trainer in Australia, and it is amazing how that recipe can be.
We race our horses and make decisions, and we elected to back her up this week.
“We would have had the raging favourite in the Victoria Derby, but we elected not to back Tom Kitten up. You live and die by your decisions, and she’ll go for a spell now.
“We can enjoy the VRC Oaks win today. It goes on her pedigree page, and that is absolute gold for her.
“By Kingman, incredible value, and that is a big result for the farm and my training team had plenty of belief in her.
“She accelerated like a genuine Group 1 horse.”
Zardozi is the first foal of the unraced Dubawi (IRE) mare Chanderi (GB), a 1,300,000gns purchase for Godolphin from the Highclere Stud draft at the 2017 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.
Chanderi (GB) is a daughter of the Dalakhani mare Silk Sari (GB), who won the Group II Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster by five lengths and was runner-up in the Group 1 British Champion Fillies/Mares Stakes at Ascot.
Silk Sari's half-sister Dreamlike (GB) (Oasis Dream) is the dam of Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young's Caulfield winner He's Our Bonneval (GB) (Siyouni).
Silk Sari (GB) is a granddaughter of the champion mare Gossamer (Sadler's Wells), a sister to former Widden Stud shuttler, Barathea (IRE).
Chanderi (GB) has a 2-year-old Lonhro colt named Adinath and a yearling colt by Exceed and Excel. She was covered by Palace Pier (GB) late last spring.
Zardozi is the tenth Group 1 winner, and second in Australia, for Juddmonte Farm's Kingman (GB), who stands at Banstead Manor Stud for a fee of £125,000 in 2024.
