Classy Zarzuela lives up to rating

EVEN BEFORE Derby favourite Zarzuela made it to the races last year, the country's top rider, James McDonald, knew she was one out of the box.

The classy Zabeel filly confirmed her favouritism for the $2.2 million Telecom New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie on March 6 with a sparkling win in the $70,000 H S Dyke Waikato Guineas (2000m) at Te Rapa yesterday.

"I rode her in trackwork before her first race and felt she was going to be very special," McDonald said.

"She has never let me down and today's win showed just how good she is because she wasn't at peak fitness.

"I can't wait to ride her in the derby."

Zarzuela finished fifth in her first race outing at Te Aroha last September and posted her first success when she was successful at her third start at Ellerslie in November.

The well-bred filly stepped right up to the top level with her win in the Great Northern Guineas (2100m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.

Matamata trainer Mark Walker admitted he had concerns about Zarzuela's chances yesterday.

"I thought she could be vulnerable because she was only 75% fit," he said.

"I'd have been happy to see her finish in the first five. She will take a lot of improvement out of this."

Zarzuela was bred and is owned by successful Auckland businessman David Paykel, out of his Group One-winning mare Star Satire, who won five races, the most important the Group One Otaki Maori Weight-For-Age in 2001.

Her sire, Zabeel, has an outstanding record in the NZ Derby having left three winners in Zonda (1997), Hades (1999) and St Reims (2002).

Zarzuela will start next in the $85,000 Championship Stakes (2100m) at Ellerslie on February 20 as her final lead-up to the derby.

MATAMATA TRAINER Mark Brosnan confirmed plans for rejuvenated racemare Veloce Bella to tackle Saturday's $200,000 Darci Brahma International Stakes at Te Rapa after her impressive three-length win on the course yesterday.

The Volskraad six-year-old posted the ninth win of her career in the $17,000 SkyCity Hamilton Cup (2000m).

"I was waiting to see how she ran today before deciding on a start in the big race next week but she has to have a crack at it now," Brosnan said.

"She is very tough and usually comes through her races well."

- © Fairfax NZ News