CRANBOURNE-trained Zatagilo gave a faultless display of jumping to lead all the way to win an action-packed open steeplechase at Casterton on Sunday.
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The Eric Musgrove-trained Zatagilo defeated Mannertone by sixth lengths with Entirely Perfect back in third place in the feature race on Casterton Cup Day.
Favourite Dormello Mo and He’s A Genius fell while Valediction lost his rider. Surging Wave and Aldous were brought down in the 3800-metre ‘chase. All horses and jockeys were uninjured following their mishaps.
Musgrove said he was confident of Zatagilo’s chances going into the steeplechase.
“I thought I had him pretty spot-on after his flat run at Sandown,” he said. “Full credit to jockey Martin Kelly. It was a top front running ride.”
The eight-year-old may line up in the $125,000 Australian Steeplechase at Sandown on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Stawell trainer Terry O’Sullivan scored his second Casterton Cup win when Patch Adams got up in the last couple of strides to beat Brigadier and Tiamo Grace in the $30,000 race. O’Sullivan, who won his first Casterton Cup with Stable Star in 2015, praised Christine Puls for her winning ride on the five-year-old.
“Patch Adams has been an unlucky horse during his career,” he said. “He’s run some very good races against class horses during his career. Christine did a great job on a horse who can be difficult to ride.”
Meanwhile, Warrnambool trainer Aaron Purcell has four options open for his imported galloper Swacadelic after the seven-year-old ran second to Sin To Win in the $200,000 Ramsden Stakes over 3200 metres at Flemington on Saturday.
Swacadelic’s options include running in Brisbane over the winter, tackling hurdle races in Victoria, saving him for staying races in Melbourne or sending him to the spelling paddock.
“I’m not really sure what I’m going to do with him for the winter,” Purcell told The Standard.
“It was disappointing he never won the Ramsden Stakes but he was very brave.
“He seems to run his best races over 2000 metres or more.
“We’ve got the four options on the table we should have a clearer plan in a week or two.”
Swacadelic, who ran fourth in this year’s Warrnambool Cup, picked up $36,000 in stakemoney for his second placing in the Ramsden.
Darren Weir’s Warrnambool satellite stable had a successful trip to Adelaide on Saturday with winners Yogi and Land Of Plenty being trained at his coastal stable.
Flemington winners First Among Equals and Iconoclasm are also trained in Warrnambool.
