Astute placement from leading trainer John Blacker resulted in Zulu Angel causing a boilover in a $130,000 benchmark 74 handicap over 2400 metres at Caulfield last Saturday.
A noted drifter in betting ($18-$51), the gelded son of Zululand enjoyed a one-out, one-back trail under Jamie Mott on the back of race favourite Mr Bannock before wearing that galloper down in the drive to the line and holding off the fast-finishing Bluestone.
Zulu Angel had finished second in the same event last year (when it was run at Moonee Valley) on a quick back-up after taking the Tasmanian St Leger. This year he bypassed that race (which was won by stablemate Vino Novello) after finishing second in the Launceston Cup.
It was the first time a Tasmanian-trained horse has won in metro company on a Saturday interstate since Bill Ryan’s classy mare Still A Star took the Group 2 Rose of Kingston at Flemington in October 2021.
At Launceston last Friday night, the Tasmanian Hall of Fame trainer’s daughter, Monica, prepared her first victor since her father lost his long battle with illness last December when her charge Genuine Lady took the opening event on the card, a maiden plate over 1400 metres.
With the addition of blinkers the daughter of Turffontein took up a more prominent position than usual and dug deep under Erica Byrne Burke to notch her first victory from nine attempts.
Ryan was also successful with the only other runner she saddled up at the meeting, Mastretta, who led throughout in the Class 4 handicap over 1200 metres under Jabez Johnstone.
Her win was the first leg of a second consecutive Launceston treble for the state’s top apprentice.
Johnstone later teamed with Glenn Stevenson to take the benchmark 60 handicap over 1600 metres with Elegantly Written, who proved too strong after settling handy.
Johnstone then made it a running double on the Siggy Carr-trained Artillery Fire, who proved 1400 metres wasn’t a problem when drawing clear despite facing the breeze in Class 2 company.
It was the second win in a row for the daughter of Flying Artie, who scored in similar fashion over 1220 metres at the same track 16 days earlier.