8 Apr 2007
Champion Cambridge Stud sire Zabeel completed this season's Victoria/Australian Derby double with the fine win by Fiumicino at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
In doing so Fiumicino became the 36th individual Group 1 winner for Zabeel who stands at New Zealand's Cambridge Stud.
Last spring Efficient (by Zabeel) captured the Group 1 Victoria Derby at Flemington.
Fiumicino was bred by Cambridge Stud's Sir Patrick and Lady Justine Hogan in partnership with Hastings breeder Graham De Gruchy.
He was sold for NZ$425,000 by Cambridge Stud at the 2005 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Sale at Karaka and now has 3 wins and 2 placings (including 3rd in the Gr1 Rosehill Guineas) from 6 starts for A$1,284,450 in stake earnings
Fiumicino is out of Latte (by Maroof) whose dam is the Japan Cup winner Horlicks who was bred and raced by De Gruchy.
Horlicks in turn was also the dam of 2000 Melbourne Cup winner Brew (by Sir Tristram). Horlicks also produced the Group 2 winner, Bubble.
Horlicks is also the grand-dam of the multiple Group winner Tusker.
Zabeel had another major highlight in Australia on Saturday with the Group 3 Easter Cup win in Melbourne by Maldivian (ex Shynzi) who was another top galloper bred by Sir Patrick and Lady Justine Hogan.