The last three months have been a breakthrough period in the career of Zanzibar, who will attempt to continue his rise through the winter ranks in Saturday’s ITM New Plymouth Interprovincial (1600m).
The Jomara Bloodstock homebred had made little impression in his four career starts before May of this year. He finished 10th on debut at Pukekohe last November, followed by sixth placings at Rotorua and Te Aroha and a fourth at Tauranga.
But Zanzibar has returned to action as a very different horse this winter, recording two wins and three placings from his five starts in this campaign.
The two victories have come in his only two appearances at New Plymouth, where Saturday’s $100,000 Interprovincial will be run. He led all the way for a hard-fought maiden win over 1600m on May 24, then bolted in by eight and a quarter lengths in a Rating 65 over the same trip on July 19.
That affinity for the course and 1600m distance of the Interprovincial made the race an obvious target for Zanzibar’s trainer Andrew Forsman.
“He’s really hit his straps this winter,” Forsman said. “It’s just been a maturity thing. He’s a typical Zed – a big horse that’s needed a little bit of time. He seems to be putting things together now.
“Winning both of his starts at New Plymouth, he’s shown that he likes the track down there, which is always a bonus. Every winter track is unique in its own way, and he’s shown that he handles the surfaces there very well. It helps that he has the ability to jump and put himself up there.”
Forsman has been pleased with Zanzibar’s Interprovincial build-up.
“His work has been great,” the Cambridge trainer said. “He’s had a month between runs, basically just because there wasn’t another suitable option in between times. This race has been our target for a while, knowing that he’d get in with a nice, light weight. We gave him a quiet trial just to keep him up to the mark.”
Zanzibar will represent Waikato in Saturday’s Interprovincial and will race in their distinctive red, yellow and black colours. The TAB rates him a $6.50 third favourite behind the local hope Belles Beau ($5.50) and King Country representative Urenui ($6).
Forsman is also gearing up for a big weekend for his three-year-olds. Last-start Ruakaka winner Cashla Bay will return to the north for a shot at Saturday’s Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), while promising types Fat Cat and Quondo will step out at Taupo on Sunday.
“Cashla Bay won very nicely at Ruakaka last time and can only improve from that,” Forsman said. “She probably needs to do that, coming up against a few sharper ones this weekend. But she’s got good ability and I’d say she’s a genuine top-three chance.
“We’ve got a couple of nice three-year-olds running at Taupo on Sunday too with Quondo and Fat Cat. You might not see the best of them until later in the season, but I think they’re both very nice prospects.”
Taupo will also stage a pair of 1100m trials on Sunday for Group and Listed performers, in which Forsman will be represented by Hinekaha, Mary Shan and Moonlight Magic.
“They’re all coming to hand nicely and I’m very happy with them,” Forsman said. “I’m hopeful that they all have good seasons in front of them. Mary Shan and Moonlight Magic just struggled a little bit as four-year-olds last season, but they both seem to have matured this time in.”
