Zaaki demolishes Group 1 field for rising star Annabel Neasham

It did not take long for Zaaki to confirm the quality he showed during his career with Sir Michael Stoute as he ran out an extraordinarily impressive winner of Saturday's Group 1 Doomben Cup.

A winner of both the Diomed and Strensall Stakes in 2019, the six-year-old gelding had failed to score in four starts last season and was bought for 150,000gns by Stuart Boman of Blandford Bloodstock and Annabel Neasham at the Tattersalls horses-in-training sale last October.

Neasham, the young British-born trainer who has made a tremendous impression since striking out on her own in Australia less than a year ago, got him started again last month, firstly with a sixth in the Doncaster Mile and most recently with victory in the Group 2 A D Hollindale Stakes at the Gold Coast.

The improvement was even more marked at Doomben, with James McDonald cruising into the lead around the home bend and coming seven lengths of a field which included Group 1 performers such as runner-up Toffee Tongue, Melody Bell, Avilius and a disappointing Sir Dragonet.

"He [McDonald] was very confident, he said, 'Just leave it up to me, I'll get him in the right spot, we won't overcomplicate things', and yeah, brilliant ride," Neasham told Sky Racing Australia.

"To be honest I was bullish going into the Doncaster, I knew he was a very good horse and he just hasn't taken a backward step. He's run the 2,000m pretty easily and I can't wait for the Cox Plate.

"I've got to give a big shout out to Stuart Boman, who found this horse at the Newmarket horses-in-training sale. We didn't pay a whole lot for him, he was a little bit older but we took a chance, we had to fit the budget, and big credit to him because he looks a proper Group 1 horse."

Zaaki was bred by Kirsten Rausing using stallion Leroidesanimaux, who spent his last few seasons at her Lanwades Stud before his death in 2016.

He is one of his very best progeny along with the Kentucky Derby and Dubai World Cup winner Animal Kingdom and was produced out of the minor French-winning Sadler's Wells mare Kesara, who was owned between Rausing and the Niarchos family.

Breeder Kirsten Rausing was thrilled to learn of the news from AustraliaCredit: Laura Green

She has bred a few other winners headed by decent staying handicapper Night Of Glory. Zaaki was sold at Tattersalls Book 2 as a yearling and bought by owner Ahmad Alotaibi for 40,000gns. He had him first with Mohamed Moubarak before moving him to Stoute for his three-year-old campaign.

"He really was an outstanding yearling," Rausing told GBRI. "I remember him very well. He was beautifully well-balanced; one couldn’t really fault him conformationally.

"I bought Kasara’s dam Kaldounya. She bred a very good filly called Persona Grata by Sir Percy, who won six races including two Listed races in France for Ed Walker.

"Kasara, herself, won two races and should have won a third. She has done very well for us breeding six winners. She has a now yearling filly by Bobby's Kitten and is in foal to Study Of Man. I also keep three of her daughters as broodmares, so the family is well represented at Lanwades.

"[Leroidesanimaux] was a marvellous horse and one that I was very sad to lose. He had already produced a Kentucky Derby winner in Animal Kingdom. He, himself, was a Blushing Groom sire line that works well with daughters of Sadler's Wells, so it was really, as they say, a no-brainer."

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