Racing: Derby bound via Rotorua

Staying blueblood Zacada makes impressive winning debut in a midweek juvenile.

Write Zacada in capital letters in your black book. Zabeel juveniles are not meant to win on debut.

Especially when they have not had a barrier trial, or, better still, multiple trials.

It was not by design that Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman had been unable to include a barrier trial on Zacada's CV - the youngster was taken to the Avondale trials, but things did not go well.

"He tried to jump out the front of the starting gates," said Baker, after Zacada easily dealt with the opposition at Rotorua yesterday.

Zabeel is not the only jewel in Zacada's pedigree. His dam, Lacada, by Giants Causeway, raced only once, but she is a daughter of Showella, who raced only 20 times before going amiss, but managed to become a dual group one winner, her notable achievement in that area being the South Australian Derby.

Showella left Showcause, winner of the NZ Cup, Avondale Cup and City of Auckland Cup.

Showella's grand-dam is the mighty Show Gate, herself not a great success as a broodmare, but her blood has been hugely successful in the past two decades.

Justifiably, the Baker/Forsman stable has a big opinion of Zacada.

"He can go out for a break now and he could be an ideal Derby type next season," said Baker. Fellow Cambridge trainer Shaune Ritchie produced the joint favourite Boobaa and declared his fear of Zacada just before the race.

The respect was well justified - father Frank Ritchie trained both Showella and Showcause.

"I actually bid on Zacada at Karaka last year and the thing that makes me suspect he is expected to win today is the fact Murray Baker is on course and you don't see him at too many Rotorua midweekers," said Shaune Ritchie before the race.

Boobaa, also on debut, was attacked in the lead and wilted late to finish unplaced.

Ratso Rizzo was an oddball, if humorous, character played by Dustin Hoffman in the 1969 movie classic Midnight Cowboy.

There was one punter completely lacking humour when the horse Ratso Rizzo could finish only fourth as the $2 favourite on debut at Rotorua. Not long before the jump, the punter plonked $10,000 on Ratso Rizzo at the $2.

Midnight seemed a long way away when the field crossed the line.

In what was a mortal blow for most Pick6 punters the race was won by the 12th favourite in the field of 12, Cullch Forty Five.

Topline Australian jockey Crag Williams has been sacked as the rider for Australian sprinter Brazen Beau in the July Cup in England.

Williams produced a controversial ride to keep Brazen Beau wide on the track on his own when beaten in a close finish in the Diamond Jubilee in his English debut.

He has been replaced by James Doyle, a retained rider for Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin, who now own the stud-bound entire.