Cambridge Stud Family Chasing Further 3YO Success

Cambridge Stud and Kingsclere Stables partnered to win the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) with Pinarello (NZ) (Tavistock) in 2022, and four years on they are hoping his half-brother Zivou (NZ) (Bivouac) can score another prized three-year-old scalp.

The son of Bivouac will represent Cambridge Stud’s slot in next Saturday’s $4 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) at Ellerslie on Champions Day, and Cambridge Stud representative Scott Calder said farm principals Sir Brendan and Lady Jo Lindsay are excited to contest the race with a son of their broodmare gem Zonza (NZ) (Zabeel), who Kingsclere’s Roger James trained to win five races, including the Group Three Ladies Day Vase (1600m).

“We are looking forward to being a part of another big day this year,” Calder said. “It is great to be teaming up with Roger and Rob with Zivou, who is a homebred off the farm, which makes things a lot more special.

“He is from a family that has been extra special to Brendan and Jo. Zivou’s dam, Zonza, has been a fantastic producer for the farm with the likes of Pinarello, (Group One performer) Vernazza (NZ) (More Than Ready) and (Group Three performer) Bavella (Snitzel).

“We are hoping he runs up to his pedigree.”

Zormella (NZ) (Almanzor), Kingsclere’s NZB Kiwi contender last year, also hails from the same immediate family, being out of Mamarella (NZ) (Pins), a half-sister to Zivou.

Zivou has shown plenty of promise on the track, posting consecutive victories last month before running sixth in the Group Three Uncle Remus Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie behind NZB Kiwi contender Belle Cheval (NZ) (Savabeel).

“We thought his run in the Uncle Remus had a lot of merit,” said Robert Wellwood, who trains the gelding in partnership with Roger James. “He was trapped wide and didn’t have an easy run, but we thought he stuck on very well. Once we saw he had pulled up nicely it was all go (for the NZB Kiwi).”

Wellwood said they face a stiff task against $1.20 NZB Kiwi favourite Well Written (Written Tycoon), but he is confident his gelding will be competitive next weekend.

“Well Written looks almost impossible to beat but we thought his effort against what is probably going to be the rest of the field in the Uncle Remus was good, and we felt with a softer run he would have been closer.”

Cambridge Stud have been pleased with Zivou’s progression on the track and they are excited to test him against a strong line-up in the Southern Hemisphere’s richest three-year-old race.

“We are very grateful to Roger and Rob for getting the horse to the race,” Calder said. “He has been a little bit of a late maturer, but he keeps taking steps forward and we felt the way he ran last time had merit.

“We are going in there against the likes of Well Written, which makes life difficult, but we are hoping he can be competitive.”

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By New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing

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