CRANBOURNE trainer Tony Rosolini has predicted a bright future for Galleywood Hurdle runner-up Zuhayr.
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The five-year-old son of Zabeel fell a long head short of gutsy frontrunner Stand To Gain in the $100,000 feature over 3200 metres yesterday.
Jockey Darryl Horner jnr settled him midfield but three wide for most of the race before hitting the front before the last of 11 hurdles.
But the lead lasted just 200 metres. Stand To Gain, with Paul Hamblin on board, surged at the 200-metre mark and held on to score narrowly.
“The horse ran really good. I did say to my rider, you’re the only one who couldn’t get on the track. He was three wide the whole way,” Rosolini said.
“The idea was to get a sit behind something but he didn’t, or couldn’t. The horse did travel wide and he probably had the hardest run of the lot.”
Rosolini, who bought Zuhayr in a Darley disposable sale last March, said his star jumper had been “running really well in the lesser races”.
His last three starts featured a second at Warrnambool and wins at Bendigo and Oakbank, prompting connections to accept for the Galleywood.
“The reason I bought him is he was a last-start winner. He’d only had seven starts and he’s by Zabeel,” Rosolini said.
“He was a four-year-old and they don’t come good for a while. Especially over jumps. He’ll come good in two years’ time.”
His next start is likely to be in the Australian Hurdle at Ballarat on May 31. Beyond that, a second shot at the Galleywood next year is “absolutely” on the cards.
“He’s doing everything right. I can’t complain about the horse at all,” Rosolini said.