Vancouver Winner Impresses at Sandown

Golden Slipper winning sire Vancouver added a smart new winner to his tally with talented filly Zacouver (2f Vancouver x Fair Isle, by Fastnet Rock) hitting the line hard to win at Sandown on Wednesday.

Trained by Leon and Troy Corstens, Zacouver did a few things wrong at her first two starts when second and fourth at Geelong, but showed the benefit of those outings today under a cool ride from Craig Williams.

He gave her a lovely run from barrier one just behind the leaders and when she worked into clear running Zacouver showed a good change of gear to chase down the leader Zesty Belle and win the 1200m juvenile fillies event by a head.

“The race worked out perfectly as there was good pace early that allowed her to settle and drop her head. Then she got the split at the right time and sprinted away good,” said stable representative Dom Sutton.

A $50,000 Karaka Book 1 purchase for Malua Racing / Flemington Bloodstock from the Curraghmore draft, Zacouver was bred by Coolmore in partnership with Pencarrow Stud.

She is the first winner for winning Fastnet Rock mare Fair Isle, a daughter of stakes-winner Miss Scarlatti, who was also second in the Group I VRC Oaks.

Fair Isle is now in foal to Triple Crown winner Justify.

Zacouver is the ninth first crop winner for Vancouver in the Southern Hemisphere, eight of those winners coming in Australia and his Group II winner Mount Pleasant in South Africa.

Vancouver stands at a fee of $30,250 this spring.