Gold Zabeel 28 February 2017 Shamardal-Elshabakiya Owner-D Hague.
Gold Zabeel has raced for us once since arriving from the Mark Johnson yard in the spring, and that was over an inadequate six furlongs at Carlisle 72 days ago, when after a slow start he finished well up the stiff hill to finish third, only going down by three parts of a length. That run showed he had trained on from a three year old, and was probably as good a run as anything he had achieved previously.
At Thirst on Monday he steps back up to seven furlongs which is a definite plus. His draw in stall eight could have been better, but shouldn't prove any real problem, and he has shown he can act on the predicted good going. The race is at 4.15.pm, a 0-75 handicap, and he will race off the same mark of 74 as he did last time at Carlisle.
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Good luck to the connections, D Hague.
Gold Zabeel is a very welcome addition to the team, having joined us recently from the Mark Johnson yard. Gold Zabeel is the third racecourse representative of his dam who was best over seven furlongs, finishing runner up twice in Listed company, and achieving a best official mark of 100. His sire is the brilliant Shamardal, who won the French, Guineas, and French Derby in 2005.
Gold Zabeel has only raced on nine occasions to date, he was unraced as a two year old, and didn't see a racecourse until June of 2020 as a three year old. He hung left on his debut on the all weather at Lingfield, and although he was hampered inside the final furlong, he still went down by just five and a quarter lengths, over seven furlongs. He reappeared at Redcar 13 days later, again over seven furlongs, this time he took a keen hold, and once again hung left, but he only got beat by half a length, to finish in second place. At Musselburgh on his third start, he was slowly in to stride, but took up the running inside the final furlong, only to be worn down, and eventually finish third, for which he received his first handicap mark of 75.
He made his handicap debut at Chepstow in August, but the step back down in trip to six furlongs didn't work, as he trailed home 13 lengths behind the winner. It was back up to seven furlongs at Wolverhampton, and from a mark of 73, he kept on to go down by a head. From the same mark 10 days later, and over that same course and distance, he finished a close third. His penultimate start before joining us was at Southwell in October where he showed he acts on that surface, when finishing fourth, beaten by only two lengths. His last start for the Mark Johnson yard was at Chelmsford in October, when after being hampered two out, he stayed on in to third, going down by three quarters of a length, probably running his best race to date.
With the extra year on his back, Gold Zabeel will probably settle better, and a step up to a mile could be on the cards.He acts on all the surfaces he has raced on, and has recently been gelded. He could make up in to a very nice horse.