Image – Trackpix Photography.
On Monday, the Ross Purcell-trained Zarsupreme landed a very popular win in the Wagga Battlers Cup at Murrumbidgee Turf Club.
Ridden by in-form apprentice jockey Holly Durnan, the rising 10-year-old rediscovered some of his best form, bringing up his seventh career win at start number 74.
Commencing moderately from gate one, Durnan snuck along the rails and guided the Jerilderie galloper to the third place.
On the home straight, she got enough out of Zarsupreme ($18) to win by a length from the Michael Travers-trained Diamond Carat (Danny Beasley, $3.70), while two-and-a-half lengths back in third was the Nick Olive-trained Epaullo Creed (Coriah Keatings, $8.50).
Purcell bred and part-owns the Zariz gelding and praised Durnan for an excellent ride.
“He’s been good,” Purcell said in his post-race interview with Sky Racing’s Graeme White.
“He’s just had no luck in his races, but Holly rode him an absolute treat, and he’s just a lovely horse to do anything with.”
Purcell had joked that Zarsupreme might be close to retirement, but it appears as though the old stager has bought himself a little longer in the stable.
“I said, if he doesn’t do anything today, he’s on limited time,” Purcell laughed.
“Even when he misses a place, he’s usually not far away unless something goes wrong, and he just knocks on the door all the time – It’s good to see him get another win.”
Wagga’s Battlers Cup races have proven popular in recent years, with the Benchmark 50 event suited to lower-rated horses, and Purcell just wished there were more of them in the country.
“That’s what I said to Racing NSW when I spoke to them about this before; that’s the cup for these rated horses, and there should be more around,” Purcell said.
“Even your $27,000 races, with your benchmark 50s, they should be first preference, then if you don’t get a full field, you top it up with horses over the benchmark, and everyone has got a chance to go around.”
While Zarsupreme’s win headlined the eight-race card, in another good result, the Mitch Beer-trained Swagger ($13) provided Durnan with the first of her two winners, taking out the 1400m Open Handicap.
Ridden an absolute treat by the apprentice, the Albury galloper raced a touch worse than midfield before finishing with a powerful burst to win by three-and-a-half lengths from the Clint Lundholm-trained Watch Me Rumble (Jean Van Overmeire, $5.50) while almost six lengths back was Swagger’s stablemate Seventh Seal (Nick Heywood, $11).
In the Riverina Cup Prelude (2000m), the Ben Brisbourne-trained Nordic Pride (Alysha Warren, $10) found the line strongly, edging the Danielle Seib-trained Leather Jacket Lew (Jean Van Overmeire, $7) by a half-head while over a length back in third was the Tony Sergi-trained Sea Treasures (Robyn Freeman, $10).
For all results from Wagga, click here.
