Zabrasive outslogged Bart Cummings' Rock Classic to win the Group One Rosehill Guineas yesterday.
Having just his sixth start, the John O'Shea-trained Zabrasive relished the step up to 2000m after his luckless fourth to Shoot Out in the Randwick Guineas (1600m) two weeks ago.
Given the run of the race
by Nash Rawiller, Zabrasive trailed pacemaker Gathering to the turn and took the lead on straightening.
But Rock Classic, the last-start winner of the Group One Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington, issued a challenge and the pair settled down to fight the race out.
Rock Classic looked sure to get past Zabrasive but the Zabeel gelding refused to give in and narrowly prevailed. Filly Run For Naara was third.
"He's very raw," Rawiller said, "but he's a serious horse, especially going towards the Derby."
The Group One AJC Australian Derby (2400m) is at Randwick on April 10.
Sydney Cup favourite Precedence showed he was on target for the staying test at Randwick next month with another dominant win in the Listed Manion Cup.
It was the son of Zabeel's third straight victory this preparation and confirmed his standing as one of Cups king Bart Cummings' most promising stayers.
Precedence wasn't suited by the stop-start tactics adopted by Jim Cassidy on leader Alexander Of Hales but still proved too good over the 2400m journey. The $hot favourite sprinted quickly in the straight to defeat Inkster by 1 lengths with a neck to The Embassy in third.
Cummings confirmed the Group Two Chairman's Handicap (2600m) at Randwick on April 10 would be the 4-year-old's next start before the 3200m Sydney Cup on April 24.
He has now tightened from A$5 to A$4.60 favourite for the Sydney Cup with TAB Sportsbet.
"The further he goes the better he'll be," Cummings said. "There was no pace on today, if there was any pace on it would have been a lot easier for him but they just walked.
"We are keeping him in handicaps leading up to the Sydney Cup and the way he's going the longer the distance, the better he'll be suited.
"He's got a good future."
Jockey Luke Nolen positioned Precedence in fourth place one off the fence during the run as Cassidy tried to dictate terms in front.
Gai Waterhouse heads to next week's $3.5 million Golden Slipper brimming with confidence after Brightexpectations forced his way into the field with victory in the Pago Pago Stakes.
The winner of three Slippers with Ha Ha (2001), Dance Hero (2004) and Sebring (2008), Waterhouse said the colt was peaking at the right time.
Brightexpectations was backed into $2.60 favouritism for the Pago Pago (1200m) and led from the outset, easing down near the line to beat Blackball by 3 lengths. Hinchinbrook finished another 1 lengths third.
Waterhouse missed out on having two runners in next week's race when More Strawberries ran second to Willow Creek in the Magic Night Stakes.
Owner David Moodie could have two runners in but it will cost him $300,000 to do so.
Moodie owns Sweet Embrace winner Crystal Lily and Willow Creek and would have to pay a A$150,000 late entry fee for each filly.
Moodie has decided to pay the late entry for Crystal Lily but said has reservations about Willow Creek.
- AAP
Zabrasive outslogged Bart Cummings' Rock Classic to win the Group One Rosehill Guineas yesterday.
Having just his sixth start, the John O'Shea-trained Zabrasive relished the step up to 2000m after his luckless fourth to Shoot Out in the Randwick Guineas (1600m) two weeks ago.
Given the run of the race
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