16 Mar 2017
Sir Patrick Hogan has expressed his elation in seeing champion sire Zabeel claim a New Zealand record for his own this week.
The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained Lizzie L'Amour claimed Thursday's Gr.1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie to become Zabeel's 46th individual Group One winner.
That Group One triumph elevated Zabeel to one ahead of his own champion sire Sir Tristram, who also stood at Cambridge Stud and whom he had been tied with on 45 Group One winners since Provocative's Gr.1 Queensland Oaks triumph last winter.
"It's quite amazing really. It was always on the cards that he might get that extra Group One winner to go one up on Sir Tristram," Sir Patrick said.
"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 One winners.
"If he was alive today, he'd be 30 and to still be leaving Group One winners is remarkable really. Some older stallions don't seem to have the same strike rate later in their careers - certainly Sir Tristram didn't, though he did leave Brew in his final crop."
Sir Patrick was happy to deflect all the credit Zabeel's way but admitted the Group One win to put Zabeel ahead of his career-making stallion Sir Tristram was emotional.
"It was quite moving," he said.
"It made me recall the day he died and took me back to burying him beside Sir Tristram. 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 One winners won solitary Group One races, whereas Zabeel has produced a lot more multiple Group One winners.
"Certainly when he finished his career, Sir Tristram was the greatest but I'd say even before yesterday, Zabeel had eclipsed his own sire. I'm just really chuffed for Zabeel."
Sir Patrick has been humbled by the international media response to Zabeel's landmark Group One win.
"Who would have thought he'd be back in neon lights around the world again now?" Sir Patrick pondered.
"I doubt very much if there will ever be two stallions, a father and son standing at the same farm, that can leave 45 and 46 Group One winners in New Zealand again. It's a tremendous achievement."
Lizzie L'Amour was bred and raced by Lorna and Gary Moore, who had enjoyed previous Group One success with another daughter of Zabeel, Bazelle, in the Auckland Cup and Zabeel Classic in 2005.
After the race, Moore told Trackside: "This is unbelievable and I'm just so thrilled. It's not only a Group One for us and Lizzie, but it's also for Zabeel who was tied with his sire Sir Tristram for individual Group One winners up until now so this one is for him as well. I would have been happy to just run a place but this means everything to a small breeder."
ZABEEL (46 individual Gr.1 winners of 91 Gr.1 races)
Able Master 2000 Auckland Cup
Bazelle 2005 Auckland Cup, 2005 Zabeel Classic
Bezeal Bay 1998 Emirates Stakes
* Champagne 1998 Mackinnon Stakes, 1998 Ansett Australia Stakes
Cronus 1997 Adelaide Cup
Dignity Dancer 1999 Australian Guineas, 1998 Spring Champion Stakes
Dizelle 2005 Australian Oaks
* Don Eduardo 2002 Australian Derby
Dress Circle 2001 Metropolitan Handicap
Efficient 2007 Melbourne Cup, 2009 Turnbull Stakes, 2006 Victoria Derby
* Fiumicino 2007 Australian Derby, 2009 The BMW
Gallic 2007 Sydney Cup
Gondokoro 2013 Queensland Oaks
Grand Echezeaux 2000 Australasian Oaks
Greene Street 2001 Avondale Gold Cup, 2003 International Stakes
Greys Inn 2004 South African Derby, 2004 Durban July Handicap
Hades 1999 New Zealand Derby
Hill Of Grace 2000 Ansett Australia Stakes
Inaflury 1998 One Thousand Guineas
* Jessicabeel 2010 Sydney Cup
Jezabeel 1998 Auckland Cup, 1998 Melbourne Cup
Lad Of The Manor 2005 Mackinnon Stakes
Lights Of Heaven 2011 Schweppes Oaks
Lizzie L'Amour 2017 New Zealand Stakes
* Maldivian 2009 CF Orr Stakes, WS Cox Plate, Yalumba Stakes
Might And Power 1997 Melbourne Cup, 1998 Doomben Cup, 1997 Caulfield Cup, 1998 Queen Elizabeth Stakes, 1998 Mercedes Classic, 1998 Yalumba Stakes, 1998 WS Cox Plate
* Mouawad 1997 Australian Guineas, 1997 Futurity Stakes, 1997 George Ryder Stakes
* Octagonal 1996 Rosehill Guineas, 1995 WS Cox Plate, 1996 Australian Derby, 1997 Chipping Norton Stakes, 1996 Underwood Stakes, 1997 Australian Cup, 1996 Mercedes Classic, 1996 Canterbury Guineas, 1995 AJC Sires' Produce Stakes, 1997 Mercedes Classic
Our Unicorn 2001 Auckland Cup
* Preferment 2014 Victoria Derby, 2016 The BMW, 2016 Australian Cup, 2015 Turnbull Stakes
Provocative 2016 Queensland Oaks
Railings 2005 Metropolitan Handicap, 2005 Caulfield Cup
Reset 2004 Australian Guineas, 2004 Futurity Stakes
Savabeel 2004 WS Cox Plate, 2004 Spring Champion Stakes
Shower Of Roses 2003 Arrowfield Stud Stakes
Sky Heights 2000 Yalumba Stakes, 1999 Caulfield Cup, 1999 Australian Derby, 1999 Rosehill Guineas
* St Reims 2005 Zabeel Classic, 2002 New Zealand Derby
Unearthly 2003 Flight Stakes
Vengeance Of Rain 2005 Hong Kong Derby, 2005 Hong Kong Cup, 2005 Queen Elizabeth II Cup, 2007 Dubai Sheema Classic, 2007 The Hong Kong Gold Cup
Vouvray 2004 Queensland Oaks
Zabeelionaire 2012 South Australian Derby
Zabrasive 2010 Rosehill Guineas
* Zacheline 1998 South Australian Oaks, 1998 Queensland Oaks
Zagalia 2003 Queensland Oaks
Zavite 2010 Auckland Cup, 2011 Ranvet Stakes
Zonda 1997 New Zealand Derby, 2001 Oaks Stud Classic
* indicates bred by Sir Patrick and Justine, Lady Hogan