Gritty Zabrasive Now Derby Favourite

Karaka Premier Sale graduate Zabrasive looks set to continue the New
Zealand-bred tradition of dominating the Group 1 AJC David Jones Australian
Derby with a fantastic win in the race's traditional lead-up, the Group 1
STC Darley Rosehill Guineas (2400m) on Saturday.

Tracking pacemaker Gathering (Tale of the Cat) throughout the race,
Zabrasive drew to the lead on the straight before knuckling down to fight
out a tight finish when headed by Group 1 VRC Australian Guineas winner
Rock Classic (Fastnet Rock). The filly Run For Naara (More Than Ready)
finished two lengths back in third.

Trained by John O'Shea, the win came off the back of an eye-catching run
for fourth in the Group 1 AJC Randwick Guineas which was won by Shoot Out
(High Chaparral), who ran fourth in the race on Saturday.

Bred by Don and Rochelle McLaren's Northfields Stud, Storm Thoroughbreds
secured Zabrasive for just $95,000 from Haunui Farm's 2008 draft. From just
six starts to date for three wins and two placings, he's already returned
his connections over A$370,000 in stakes.

Zabrasive is another example of the sought after Zabeel - Danehill cross,
being from the stakes winning Danehill mare Danasia, who finished third in
Tapildo's 2001 Group 1 NZ Oaks. To date her four progeny to race have all
been winners.

Now the current favourite for the $1.3 million dollar purse on offer on
April 10th, O'Shea's charge is hoping to join other NZ-bred victors in the
AJC Derby such as last year's Metal Bender (Danasinga) to make it four in a
row for the (NZ) suffix. Other NZ-bred winners of the race in the past ten
years include Roman Emperor (Montjeu), Nom Du Jeu (Montjeu), Fiumicino
(Zabeel), Starcraft (Soviet Star) and Don Eduardo (Zabeel).

If he was to take out the Rosehill Guineas - AJC Derby double, Zabrasive's
name would be among the likes of fellow Kiwi stars, Phar Lap, Tulloch,
Dulcify, Taras Bulba, Battle Sign and more recently Sky Heights, Octagonal
and Naturalism.

On the same card another son of Cambridge Stud's Zabeel notched up a stakes
win with Precedence (ex Kowtow by Shadeed) taking out the Listed STC NE
Manion Cup (2400m), confirming his favouritism for the Group 1 AJC
Schweppes Sydney Cup on 24 April.

Trained by Bart Cummings, Precedence was purchased by DGR Thoroughbred
Services for $180,000 at the 2007 Karaka Premier Sale from Bloomsbury Stud.
In recording his fourth win on Saturday, and third on the trot, the
four-year-old took his total winnings to over A$280,000.