'I liked him as a yearling, so much so I sent a mare to Without Parole' - July Stakes winner Zavateri breaks through for his sire

Zavateri was overlooked by many for Thursday's Kingdom Of Bahrain July Stakes but showed a fine attitude to win the Group 2 and provide Newsells Park Stud's Without Parole with a first stakes winner.

The Eve Johnson Houghton-trained colt made an eye-catching debut at Salisbury last month, pulling clear of his rivals by two-and-a-half lengths, but he was making a big step up in grade at Newmarket's July course. 

However, the John Gunther and Ttr Bloodstock-bred juvenile, a 35,000gns purchase from Tattersalls Book 2 by the trainer and Highflyer Bloodstock on behalf of owners Mick and Janice Mariscotti, travelled smoothly before capturing the Group 2 contest by a length from Coventry Stakes runner-up Do Or Do Not. The runner-up is a son of first-season sire Space Blues. 

Johnson Houghton told Racing TV: "He's got a huge amount of ability and you could see in the paddock he was a bit 'oh look, we're at a party', but in the race he was so professional. I never had a moment's doubt really. I liked him as a yearling, so much so I sent a mare to Without Parole. He's got a great attitude and just wants to please.

"He's bred to get it [a mile] but as I tell my owners you've never heard of Usain Bolt's brother have you? What they're bred to do and what they do isn't always the same thing. I think he definitely wants seven [furlongs], we'll probably run him once or twice more this year."

Without Parole: Newsells Park Stud sire and St James's Palace Stakes winnerCredit: Melanie Sauer

Zavateri is the first foal out of the unraced Siyouni mare Zeroua, an Aga Khan-bred who was picked up by Avenue Bloodstock for €90,000 at the 2021 Arqana December Sale. Zeroua is a half-sister to dual Australian Group 3 winner Zeyrek and in turn out of the Dalakhani mare Zerkaza, the first progeny of the unbeaten champion Zarkava. 

Zerkaza is a sister to Group 1 winner and leading young sire Zarak, as well as Listed winner and Prix Vermeille third Zarkamiya, the dam of this year's Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Zarigana. Zeroua has a yearling filly by Ghaiyyath and visited Baaeed last year. 

The two-year-old is the first Group and black-type winner for St James's Palace Stakes winner Without Parole, a son of Frankel who was bred by Gunther and raced in partnership with his daughter Tanya. 

Without Parole won his sole juvenile start at Newcastle that December by sixth lengths for John Gosden, before returning to Yarmouth the following April to beat the smart Ostilio by six lengths. He captured the Listed Heron Stakes at Sandown on his next start before winning the St James's Palace at Royal Ascot. Later in his career he went to America and placed in several Grade 1s for Chad Brown, including when third in the Breeders' Cup Mile. 

A half-brother to Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Tamarkuz, Without Parole has stood at Newsells Park since 2021 when he was introduced at a fee of £10,000. His other leading progeny include the Group 3-placed Fiery Lucy and stakes-placed performers Sea To Sky and Genchev. Without Parole stood this season for £8,000.  

Scandinavia: continued the Group-winning tradition of his regal familyCredit: Edward Whitaker

Bahrain Trophy success for Coolmore blue-blood

The blue-blooded Scandinavia opened Group-race proceedings at Newmarket when romping to success in the Bahrain Trophy. 

A son of Justify and half-brother to Group 1 winner Above The Curve and the Group 3-placed Thinking Of You, both by American Pharoah, the colt was building on a staying-on fifth in the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot last month. 

He is the sixth foal out of the unraced Galileo mare Fabulous, a daughter of blue hen Mariah's Storm and therefore a half-sister to top-class racehorse and sire Giant's Causeway. The mare is also a half-sister to brilliant broodmare You'resothrilling, the dam of Group 1 winners Gleneagles, Marvellous, Happily and Joan Of Arc, as well as the top-level-placed Taj Mahal, Vatican City, Toy and Coolmore, all by the phenomenal Galileo. 

Scandinavia becomes the eighth stakes winner bred on the Justify-Galileo cross and the cohort is headed by multiple Group 1 winner City Of Troy. 

Fabulous has a yearling colt by No Nay Never.

Read more

‘The blood is what’s important’ - Calyx’s sister sets a Tattersalls July Sale record at 550,000gns 

Leading National Hunt sire Jukebox Jury dies aged 19 after complications from colic 

Julian Richmond-Watson and Simon Mockridge take top honours at the TBA Flat Breeders' Awards 

'The whole bidding was just surreal' - sale record tumbled at Fasig-Tipton as stakes-winning juvenile sells for $1.7 million