Zantabulous back in winners’ circle

Homebred mare Zantabulous turned her racing fortunes around to advance her record with a tidy winning performance at Te Rapa.The Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained four-year-old was aided by a good ride from Wiremu Pinn to put away her Rating 75 rivals over 1600 metres.Zantabulous broke well to settle handy near the fence and, when the field fanned away from the rail at the top of the straight, she came through to challenge and was too good in the run to the post. “It’s great to see her back in the winner’s circle and another nice ride from Wiremu,” Walker said.“She’s had a few issues along the way, but it was a promising win and it looks like she’s in for a good autumn and early part of the winter.“I think she’ll only improve once we get up over more distance.”She has been patiently handled and has now won three of her 10 starts and looks more than capable of making her way further through the grades.The grey mare also completed a strong weekend for our shuttle stallion Almanzor, whose sons Circle Of Fire and Athabascan quinellaed the G1 Sydney Cup while Asgard was successful at Otaki in the manner of a horse to follow over more ground.Zantabulous was bought out of our draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale in 2021 by Te Akau chief David Ellis for $220,000.She is a daughter of the Zabeel mare Zantelagh, who had a filly by Hello Youmzain last season, and her dam is the G1 Oakleigh Plate winner and multiple elite level placegetter Dantelagh.