Racing: Zabene moves up Auckland Cup list

Zabene digs deep to hold off Biman to win the Dunedin Cup on Saturday. Photo / Otago Daily Times

Zabene, winner of the Dunedin Cup at Wingatui on Saturday, is at $31 in fixed-dividend betting for the $1 million Auckland Cup on March 10.

The well-bred 6-year-old gelding by Zabeel from Emerald Dream followed up his recent win in the Dunedin Cup Trial at Riccarton with a stout staying performance over 2400m on Saturday in the hands of 18-year-old Pukekohe apprentice Jason Collett.

Zabene shared the lead at the 800m after being forced three-wide and stayed on to win by a neck from the strong-finishing Biman, with a length to Turn The Page, who also came home well.

Sea Swift won the 1988 Auckland Cup after success in the Dunedin Cup the previous year. Zabene, trained by Mark Walker, who was also to the fore at Te Rapa with another of Zabeel's stock, Zarzuela, in the Waikato Guineas, is now around 18th in order for a start in the Ellerslie feature.

Like many of the Zabeel stock, he has matured with age and was runnerup to co-Auckland Cup favourite My Scotsgrey in the last New Zealand Cup, showing that 3200m will hold no fears for him.

From a career of 37 starts, he has won seven times and paid a dividend on another 11 occasions for around $140,000 in stakes.

Zabene was at $41 for the Auckland Cup before his win on Saturday. My Scotsgrey and Passchendaele share favouritism for the feature at $5.

- OTAGO DAILY TIMES