3 Oct 2009
The return of superstar stayer Efficient to his outstanding best in the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington credited his sire, Zabeel, with his 81
st Group One win.
The staggering level of success at the elite level of competition betters even the deeds of Zabeel's own sire, the great Sir Tristram, whose progeny won 72 Group One races during his long-and-illustrious career.
Efficient (Zabeel ex Refused to Dance, by Defensive Play) has now won in excess of A$4.5 million and takes his Group One-winning tally to three. He won the Victoria Derby at three; the Melbourne Cup at four and now adds the Turnbull Stakes as a six-year-old.
Bred by Bloodstock Resources Ltd & Cambridge Hunt Ltd; Efficient was raised at Gordon Cunningham's Curraghmore Stud who sold him on behalf of his breeders at the 2005 Karaka Premier Sale. The buyer was Graeme Rogerson at $220,000.
Maldivian, also by Zabeel, looked very much on target for the Caulfield Cup in two weeks time when finishing a close-up fourth behind Efficient, while another star Zabeel stayer, Fiumicino, did well to finish third in The Metropolitan-Gr.1 in trying conditions at Royal Randwick.
For the record, Zabeel is the sire of 121 individual black type winners. No less than 38 of his stakes winners have won at Group One level. Collectively this group has won 81 Group One races.
Zabeel is busy serving mares at Cambridge Stud in his 19
th year of stud duties.
