Zabeel sets new record with 46th individual Group 1 winner

Zabeel surpassed his own sire’s record on Thursday when Lizzie L’Amour, trained by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsham, landed the Group 1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes at Ellerslie to become his 46th individual top-level winner.

The former Cambridge Stud resident surpassed the 45 Group 1 scorers - a New Zealand record - registered by Sir Tristram, who also stood at the Waikato operation until his death in 1997.

Zabeel has become renowned for supplying such top-class talent as Might And Power, Efficient, Preferment and Vengeance Of Rain. He had been retired from covering duty in 2013 before his death in 2015.

Sir Patrick Hogan, owner of Cambridge Stud, said: “It’s quite amazing really. It was always on the cards that he might get that extra Group 1 winner to go one up on Sir Tristram. He’s got some three-year-olds still racing and his four-year-old crop is starting to hit its straps, so there was always a good chance that he would pick up more Group 1 winners.

“I always said I’d be quite happy if they finished their careers on level pegging but in fairness to Zabeel, he did deserve to get his nose in front, simply because a lot of Sir Tristram’s Group 1 winners won solitary Group 1 races, whereas Zabeel has produced a lot more multiple Group 1 winners.

“Certainly when he finished his career, Sir Tristram was the greatest - but I’d say even before Thursday, Zabeel had eclipsed his own sire. I’m just really chuffed for Zabeel.”