Season of Success: Zafar So Good

Winning a stakes' race at your very first start is an achievement few racehorses accomplish, making Zafar's (2 c Snitzel – Zasorceress, by Zabeel) impressive victory in the $80,000 Listed Berkley Stud Champagne Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton on 2 May all the more remarkable.

Making his race debut, the exciting son of four-time Champion Sire Snitzel (Redoute's Choice) immediately stamped himself as a colt of considerable promise, providing Te Akau with Stakes' Win No. 22 for the season.

Although his dam, Zasorceress (Zabeel), won twice over 1800 metres in Australia and brings plenty of stamina to his pedigree, Zafar has always displayed natural precocity, combining speed with the physical presence and quality expected of a colt by one of Australia's greatest stallions.

Partnered by Te Akau's stable rider Opie Bosson ONZM, who had earlier won aboard stablemate Insatiable (All Too Hard), Zafar enjoyed the perfect introduction to racing. Bosson settled him beautifully just behind the speed before easing into the clear approaching the home turn. When asked for his effort inside the final 200 metres, the colt lengthened impressively, responding with a strong finish to score like a horse with an exciting future ahead.

"I'm glad we decided to teach him something at the trials by getting him back amongst the field," Bosson said after the race. "He showed he's still a little on and off the bit, but there's no doubt he's got plenty of ability."

Racing on a surface upgraded to Good4, Zafar covered the 1200 metres in 1:09.7 and justified the confidence of punters, returning $1.80 and $1.30 on the NZ TAB tote.

Raced by the Fortuna Zafar Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin), Zafar was purchased for $165,000 by John Galvin and Sir David Ellis from the Kilgravin Lodge draft at the 2025 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale at Karaka.

"There had been a lot of talk about this horse, so it's pretty exciting," Galvin said. "He had to do a bit of work to get home, but we're very happy with the result.

"We'd love to come back to Riccarton for the Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas (1600m) in November, so he'll now enjoy a break before being prepared for his three-year-old season.

"He actually wasn't on our original list because we always buy to a budget, and Mark (Walker) hadn't pointed him out to me because he thought he'd make more.

"As it turned out, he was passed in at $180,000. Mark suggested we offer $165,000, and five minutes later the deal was done."

Zafar also boasts an outstanding international pedigree. Bred by Sir Peter Vela at Pencarrow Stud, he descends directly from the exceptional Habibti (Habitat), a triple Group One winner, Champion Filly and the fourth dam in his family. Habibti topped both the 1983 European Three-Year-Old Classification and the 1982 Irish Two-Year-Old Free Handicaps, underlining the depth of quality behind this exciting young colt.

The family has continued to produce elite performers through the generations and also includes outstanding race mare and producer Lafleur (Zabeel), together with triple Group One winner Humidor (Teofilo).

For Zafar, however, this was much more than another stakes' victory. To begin a racing career by winning at stakes level on debut was a wonderful reward for his owners and connections, and a performance that suggested there is every reason to look forward to what the future may hold.

Te Akau's previous winners of the Listed Champagne Stakes (1200m):

2024 – Discretion Rules (Alabama Express)