SAND NOV 13 - ZIPPING LANDS HIS FOURTH CONSECUTIVE SANDOWN CLASSIC

By Taron Clarke | Monday, November 15, 2010

Sandown Hillside, November 13, 2010.
Track - Heavy 9. Rail - True. Penetrometer: 5.48.
Sandown Classic (Group 2) WFA - 2400m.
Time: 2-39.49. 600m Sectional: 37.48. (Carrying 59kg).
1 Zipping; 2 Exceptionally; 3 Manighar.
Margins: 2.0L x 0.1L

Nine-year-old marvel Zipping wrote himself into the history books by claiming his fourth successive Group 2 Sandown Classic over 2400 metres at Sandown Hillside on Saturday afternoon.

Owned by multi-millionaire Lloyd Williams, Zipping joined the likes of Lord (Memsie Stakes 1958 to 1961), Manikato (William Reid Stakes 1979 to 1983) and most recently Sydney star Tie the Knot (Chipping Norton 1999 to 2002), as horses to dominate a Group race and win on four or more consecutive occasions.

Zipping has now only had four starts at the Sandown circuit, all in the Sandown Classic and all have been rousing victories.

The son of Danehill has also rung up three Melbourne Cup fourth placing’s as well as two second’s and a third placing in the last three renditions of the Weight for Age championship of Australia, the Cox Plate.

A truly remarkable feat for a nine-year-old who has only had forty six racetrack starts.

It is amazing to think that the horse has only won two events at the elite level, both this year and they were both run at Flemington over 2000 metres … the Australian Cup and the Turnbull Stakes.

Ridden by Williams’ godson Nick Hall, the young hoop had no hesitation in sending the Robert Hickmott trained galloper to the front down the straight on the first occasion.

With only five gallopers in the field, there was always going to be a tactical element which would play a major role in the outcome of the $350,000 affair.

Jockey Danny Nikolic allowed his mount Exceptionally to stride forward to take up the running as the field raced beyond the halfway mark of the affair.

The Sandown crowd of just over 8000 hardy punters who braved the appalling weather conditions rose as one when the veteran Zipping surged up to hit the front at 400 metre mark.

Under the urgings of Hall, Zipping confirmed his legend status with a two length win over the game mare Exceptionally with a nose back to the Luca Cumani trained Manighar in third placing.

Zipping’s career earnings now total $4,530,195 and there is no talk of retiring the old boy just yet with a likely tilt at a defence of his Australian Cup crown at Flemington in March.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Part Owner Nick Williams: “It’s fantastic. It’s very exciting to have any involvement in a horse like this.

“It is something you can only dream of I guess and Dad’s been involved in the industry 45 or 50 years and I think it is fantastic for him to have a horse that is as tough as this and has achieved such great things.

“He is probably not the most talented horse he has ever owned, but he is certainly the toughest and there is really three people I really want to thank here. They are Rodney Miller, Brooke Mussared and Eddie Cassar, they have been with this horse for seven or eight years and they deserve the credit.

“It is great for all of our team and it’s just a terrific day.

“He is just a freak of nature. He is just so tough. There’s not many of them that are like this.

“We’ll give him a break now and probably bring him back in the autumn and defend his Australian Cup.

“He’ll decide whether he comes back for a fifth Sandown Classic. We are not making any decisions on his retirement. He’ll be making his decision when he chooses to retire’

“He’s done that much for us he can choose if he wants to race or doesn’t want to race.”

Jockey Nick Hall: “You know what small fields are like. They can be very tactical and much more trickier than when there are big fields.

"I was never worried. I just always needed that clear running and when Dan (Nikolic, riding Exceptionally) came around it, I just made sure I had that option.

“He is pretty good. Did you hear the cheer they gave him it was outstanding?

“Everyone’s got a soft spot for him and you get a good affiliation when they get on in their career and get to this stage. Everyone’s seen them since they were babies having their first start right up to know … so everyone sort of feels that connection with him.

“Yes, he Is racing fantastic. The team up at Macedon Lodge do a fantastic job and Lloyds got him really worked out right to the tee at the moment. I know the horse and I was never worried.

“Eddie Cassar … you talk to him in the morning. He gives him his morning track gallops and if he says he is okay you know you’re on a good thing.

“Thanks for everyone for coming out and seeing the old boy.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Zipping):1.70 out to 2.00.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Kidnapped was a late withdrawal at 9.58am, Rainbow Styling (NZ) at 2.57pm and Faint Perfume at 2.57pm all due to the downgrade of the track.

Prior to the commencement of the meeting it was established that Zipping would be ridden more positive today and Ginga Dude (NZ) would be ridden off the speed and announcements were made.

N Hall (Zipping) was issued with a severe reprimand for shifting out across the heels of Exceptionally (NZ) near the 1000m bumping La Rocket out off its running.

N Rawiller (La Rocket) reported that his mount was not comfortable in today’s track conditions.

M Walker rider of Ginga Dude (NZ) reported at scale that his mount failed to run out the 2400m of today’s event.

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