The puzzle that is January's 30's Grp 2 Wellington Cup (2400m) took on a whole new complexity on Saturday. Injecting the field with the Zabeel Cup horse 'x' factor, Heat Haze (NZ) catapulted herself into second line betting recognition behind Red Ruler (NZ) and Booming (NZ) with a barn storming performance in the Listed Gallagher Group Marton Cup (2200m) at Awapuni. With only a few behind her rounding the bend, the 5YO daughter of Zabeel responded gamely to the urges of rider Lisa Allpress, boun
The puzzle that is January's 30's Grp 2 Wellington Cup (2400m) took on a whole new complexity on Saturday. Injecting the field with the Zabeel Cup horse 'x' factor, Heat Haze (NZ) catapulted herself into second line betting recognition behind Red Ruler (NZ) and Booming (NZ) with a barn storming performance in the Listed Gallagher Group Marton Cup (2200m) at Awapuni.
With only a few behind her rounding the bend, the 5YO daughter of Zabeel responded gamely to the urges of rider Lisa Allpress, bounding down the outside to reel in the breakaway pacemaker Cassini (Reset) by a half length. Filling third 2 ¢ ;engths away was Tittsgitten (NZ) (Danske).
The win represented the Paul Jenkins-trained galloper's 6th win in a lightly raced career spanning 20 starts. Patiently handled, Heat Haze (NZ) impeded her development as a yearling, when rearing in the float and smashing her poll. According to the NZPA, further interruption was to be incurred as a spring 3YO, when surgery was required to remedy chipped fetlocks.
Safely through her intended Wellington Cup assignment, Gr.1 honours could be in the reckoning by way of a start in the Auckland Cup (3200m). Success here would represent the second Zabeel mare to shine for Jenkins and the horse's breeder/part-owner Lorna Moore, with success previously landed with Bazelle (NZ).
Co-owned with Gary Moore and Andrew and Dawn Hutson, Heat Haze (NZ) combines the bloodlines of Zabeel with the American Zafonic mare Western Flame.
NZ Thoroughbred News report