Cranbourne trainer Rod Douglas said lightly-raced Zacroona was the best 3-year-old he'd had in a while after he won the Group Three Carbine Club Stakes at Flemington on Saturday at just his third start.
The Zabeel gelding, a A$400,000 yearling purchase, joined some illustrious gallopers - dual Melbourne
Cup winner Think Big (1973), champion filly Emancipation (1982) and Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup winner Saintly (1995) - to have won the 1600m event.
"He untapped. He's a typical slow-learning Zabeel - he's going to run a trip," Douglas said.
"He's from a good family and there's plenty of improvement in him.
"He's the best 3-year-old I've had in a while."
Zacroona, who is out of the Danasinga mare Singalong, has been patiently handled by Douglas, winning a Hamilton 1100m 3-year-old maiden at his debut on October 5 before finishing fifth to Vandalo in the Gothic Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on October 20.
Douglas said the natural progression was to contest the group two A$400,000 Sandown Guineas (1600m) on November 17, a race he won last year with longshot Sender.
- AAP
