The Gerry Ryan homebred Zargos sports a pedigree that would grace any of the world’s great breeding establishments and it received a boost when she added some all-important black-type in Sunday’s Group III Kevin Sharkie Bow Mistress (1200m) at Hobart.
Ridden by Blaike McDougall for trainers David & Ben Hayes & Tom Dabernig, the 4yo daughter of Shamardal (USA) came from midfield, threaded the needle in the straight, to defeat Star Thoroughbreds luckless Needs Further filly Deroche by half a length with the Choisir mare Twitchy Frank a long-head back in third.
A close-up fourth over 1400 metres at Flemington at her most recent start, Zargos advances her record to 4 wins and 1 third from 13 starts with earnings of $226,000.
Bred by Ryan’s Limerick Lane Thoroughbreds, Zargos is out of the lightly raced Rock Hard Ten mare Sister Rocks (USA) who was carrying Zargos when she was imported. She is a sister to the Grade II winner and multiple Grade 1 placed Doubles Partner and a half-sister to Princess Serena the dam of Gerry Ryan’s top-class Puissance De Lune and the Listed Newbury Fillies' Trial Stakes winner Queen Power, who are both by Shamardal, as well as the high-class Lope de Vega colt Zabeel Price who won the Group 1 Prix d'Ispahan.
Sister Rocks (USA) has a 2yo filly by Fastnet Rock but has not had a mare return submitted for the last two seasons.
Zargos becomes the 145th stakes-winner for Shamardal (USA) who shuttled to Australia for five seasons the last in 2010. The son of Giant’s Causeway is now one of the world’s preeminent stallions and is coming off an amazing year with his two-year-olds with three undefeated Group 1 juvenile colts headed by the remarkable Pinatubo.
Shamardal (USA) stands at a private capacity at Kildangan Stud in Ireland.
