23 Oct 2008
Cambridge Stud-bred Maldivian's win in the A$3 million 2008 Tatersalls Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on Saturday has provided another great advertisement for Cambridge Stud champion sire Zabeel.
Maldivian (ex Shynzi) became the fourth winner of the Cox Plate sired by Zabeel. The others were Cambridge Stud-bred Octagonal (1995), Might And Power (1998) and Savabeel (2004).
Zabeel is now the most successful sire of Cox Plate winners in the history of the famous Group 1 weight-for-age contest. He has sired 39 individual Group 1 winners and these horses have collectively won a total of 73 Group 1 races.
Maldivian was bred by Sir Patrick and Justine Lady Hogan of Cambridge Stud. He completed back-to-back Cox Plate wins for New Zealand-bred horses. The race was won last year by another Kiwi-bred El Segundo.
Cambridge Stud also bred the 1976 Cox Plate winner, Surround.
Mark Kavanagh-trained Maldivian was in front from start to finish and always had dominant control of the weight-for-age championship race.
At the finishing line he was one length clear of Zipping while three-year-old filly Samantha Miss was not far behind in third place.
Maldivian had previously recorded Group 1 success in the Yalumba Stakes in Melbourne last year.
But the six-year-old's form this spring in Melbourne of late had been indifferent with two unplaced runs in the Yalumba Stakes and Caulfield Cup.
However, Kavanagh worked the oracle in producing Maldivian for a dramatic form reversal. Putting the gelding over some fences this week was one factor which Kavanagh believes helped the turnaround. Adding blinkers to his gear also provided a major assistance.
Race favourite Princess Coup was a major disappointment. She never got into the race after being near the tail of the field from the outset and was not suited by the lack of early pace in the event.