Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Never looking like being beaten, Zerre (4 m Zacinto – Kerre, by Pour Moi) made it consecutive victories with a terrific performance in the $25,000 Rating 68 1400 metres on 26 November at Te Aroha.
Following a win earlier on the programme with Khando (Mongolian Khan), and having recently quinelled the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) with Romanoff (Belardo) and Affirmative Action (Yes Yes Yes), Ballymore NZ trainer Pam Gerard kept the ball rolling with another strong winner.
Zerre had capped good form with a resounding last start victory in the Maiden 1400 metres on 6 November at Avondale, and paired again with apprentice jockey Hayley Hassman (a3), who was also aboard Khando, she paraded in great fettle.
“She looked the winner in the birdcage,” Gerard said. “She did so well after winning at Avondale, and with Khando she’d been out and did some dressage between runs.
“The blinkers really sharpened her up last time and we saw she was able to settle off the pace and storm home, but the pattern today from the winners had been to race pretty handy and Hayley did the right thing by settling her outside the leader.”
From barrier eight, Zerre hit the ground running, travelled sweetly on the hindquarters of the leader, I Am Nutz (I Am Invincible), took over ominously entering the home straight and strode out powerfully to score untouched by two and three-quarter lengths.
It was a great win, stepping up immediately from Maiden grade and noticeable that she required very little urging from the jockey.
“I thought I may have gone too soon, but she had switched off in the run, switched on when I asked her to and she did it beautifully,” Hassman said. “It was an amazing win.”
The wins by Hassman further strengthened her association with Gerard, and the record now reads nine starts, three wins, and four placed.
In the race named Celebrate Christmas at the Races 7 December, Zerre ran 1400 metres in 1:21.9, last 600m in 34.2 (approx.), and paid $14.20 & $3.20 on the NZ TAB tote.
Owned by M Bogoievski, Grant Devonport, Kariba Racing Pty Ltd, Craig Lindberg, Simon Moutter, Simon O'Connor, Jason Paris & Andrew South, Zerre was purchased for $70,000 by Paul Moroney Bloodstock & Catheryne Bruggerman at the Karaka 2023 Book 2 Sale, from the draft of Leanarch Lodge.
The same buyers selected and purchased her year older half-brother and former stable-mate Pendragon (U S Navy Flag), who, inside a month, capped consecutive wins with a hat-trick in the Auckland Guineas (Gr. 2, 1400m).
By former Valachi Downs stallion Zacinto (Dansili), Zerre has a strong influence of English Derby winners in her bloodlines, with dam sire Pour Moi (Montjeu) winning the prestigious event in 2011 and triple Group One winner, family member, and sire, Authorized (Montjeu) scoring in 2007.
Zerre was strapped by Samur Singh.