The respective winners of yesterday’s Avondale Gold Cup and Avondale Guineas are both from Zabeel mares.
Single Minded (Bachelor Duke ex Capacity, by Zabeel) scored in the Avondale Gold Cup-Gr.2 (2400m), having run fourth in the Wellington Cup at his last start after earlier success in the City of Auckland Cup-Gr.2 (2400m).
The Graeme Richardson-trained four-year-old, who was bred and is raced by The Oaks Stud, will now go forward for the $500,000 Auckland Cup-Gr.1 (3200m), 07 March.
Silent Achiever (O’Reilly ex Winning Spree, by Zabeel) was dominant in winning yesterday’s Avondale Guineas-Gr.2 (2100m).
The Roger James-trained filly has already won the ARC Championship Stakes-Gr.2 and Waikato Guineas-Gr.3 in this preparation and will start a warm favourite in the $750,000 New Zealand Derby-Gr.1 (2400m) in two weeks time.