23 Jun 2009
Zabeel headed for all-time NZ greatness-
Statistics can tell a multitude of different stories, but it's clear in studying the very latest figures achieved by Zabeel, that he is progressively surpassing the deeds of the great Sir Tristram - on a number of important fronts.
New Zealand Thoroughbred Marketing can report that Zabeel now leads Sir Tristram on the score of Group One wins; Black Type wins and Dewar Award Trophies.
Group One
The elite level of competition is the all-important gauge to excellence by a sire. Sir Tristram was for a time the World's Leading Sire of Group One winners. He ended his career with a magnificent tally of 45 individual Group One winners. Zabeel is currently at 38, but has headed his dad on the score of Gr.1 wins - Zabeel is at 80 (and rising); Sir Tristram has 72.
Stakeswinners
When Hume won the Tattersall's Cup at Eagle Farm 20 June it represented the 121
st individual winner for Zabeel. Sir Tristram sired a massive 130 individual black type winners. Again, it's the total wins where Zabeel has edged ahead. Zabeel currently has 292 black type wins to his credit while Sir Tristram completed his stud career with a total of 287 black type wins.
The Dewar Award
The Dewar Award is presented each year for the NZ-based stallion whose progeny has won the most prizemoney in
Looking ahead, it should be noted that Zabeel is still very much in business. He produced 95 live foals from his 2007 coverings, while he achieved 75 pregnancies from the 100 mares he was restricted to last year. Zabeel remains in great heart and will cover a restricted book of 85 mares again this year. Clearly Cambridge Stud's modern-day kingpin sire has more than a couple of chapters to add to his stud success story in the coming years.
Further down the track, don't be surprised if Zabeel becomes a dominant broodmare sire. With so many well bred daughters now at stud or going to stud, it seems only logical that his presence will be felt in this new role in the decades to come. By the way, Sir Tristram was Champion Australian Broodmare Sire 6 times and Champion NZ Broodmare Sire 3 times and sits in second position, behind Centaine, on the current NZ Broodmare Sire premiership.
Summary (figures to 23 June 2009)...
Individual Gr.1 winners
Zabeel: 38
Sir Tristram: 45
Cumulative Gr.1 wins
Zabeel: 80
Sir Tristram: 72
Individual black type winners
Zabeel: 121
Sir Tristram: 130
Cumulative black type wins
Zabeel: 292
Sir Tristram: 287
Stallion Premierships
The Dewar Award (Zabeel: 13, Sir Tristram: 9)
Champion
Australia
Sire (Zabeel: 2, Sir Tristram: 6)
Champion NZ Sire (Zabeel: 4, Sir Tristram: 1)
All statistical information courtesy of Arion Pedigrees (www.arion.co.nz)
Article by Adrian Clark of