24 Jul 2008
A Nose Separates Sires in Intriguing Dewar Race
With each stallion posting over $6.5 million in progeny earnings and a miniscule nose margin of 0.19 % currently separating the pair, New Zealand’s Dewar Award is proving to be an intriguing battle between
O'Reilly (NZ) and
Zabeel (NZ) this season.
The Dewar Award, which celebrates the champion NZ-based sire by combined earnings in Australia and New Zealand, looked to be safely at the mercy of Waikato Stud’s outstanding sire
O’Reilly at this time last week, when the combined earnings figure was found to be $48,319 in his favour.
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| O'Reilly (NZ) and Zabeel (NZ) go head-to-head in Dewar battle |
However, with just under one week remaining in the 2007/08 season,
Zabeel (NZ) (Sir Tristram) has rallied late, and has successfully cut the deficit back to just $12,569 thanks to the efforts of two Australian winners and three placegetters.
Playing their part in their sire’s 13th consecutive Dewar title bid,
Lady Zhivago (NZ) achieved $19,500 in earnings with a 1.3 length win in the VRC Mittys Rising Star Final Hcp (2200m), with
Dezirabeel (AUS) earlier assisting with $11700 in stakes, thanks to a 0.1 length win in the Clarence River JC Rating 77 Hcp (1600m).
Courtesy of NZTM