ZARZUELA (NZ) – TELECOM NZ DERBY FAVOURITE

Champion trainer on the mark with early star quality estimation, by Sonya Anderson
10:15 AM Wednesday Mar 03, 2010

Just over five months ago, Matamata trainer Mark Walker told David Paykel that his three-year-old filly Zarzuela (NZ) (Zabeel x Star Satire by Volksraad) was something special.

Punctuating Walker’s estimation of quality with three subsequent group wins, New Zealand’s champion trainer could well be searching for a new superlative to describe the daughter of Zabeel following Saturday’s running of the NZ$2.2million Gr.1 Telecom New Zealand Derby.

NZTM spoke with an “excited but nervous” David Paykel during the week, and was given an interesting insight into the Zarzuela story.

“It was at Zarzuela’s first start at Te Aroha back in September that Mark Walker told me we had a talented staying type on our hands,” Paykel explained.

“She ran home for fifth on a slow9 track and I have to say, Mark was more excited than me – I couldn’t see it!”

“Two starts later she won her maiden race at Ellerslie and it was after this race that Mark told me she was a Derby filly,” added Paykel.

Paykel - who is the son of prominent breeder/owner Maurice Paykel and nephew of iconic Auckland breeders and owners Lady Joyce and Sir Woolf Fisher - had to agree that on this occasion Zarzuela had certainly completed the mile assignment in fine style, but still he was not convinced of Walker’s Derby appraisal.

“Initially I was reluctant and thought why take on the boys in the Derby when she could target the Oaks,” said Paykel.

Two starts later she won her maiden race at Ellerslie and it was after this race that Mark told me she was a Derby filly

Meanwhile it seemed that Zarzuela had a Derby plan all of her own, and continued her rise among the New Zealand three-year-old ranks with a trio of sensational black-type wins.

Showing her wares at group level against the opposite sex, the beautifully packaged bay scored her first black-type win in the Gr.2 ARC Great Northern Guineas (2100m), before dominant victories in the Gr.3 Waikato Guineas (2000m) and the Gr.2 ARC Championship Stakes (2100m).

Such has been her authority in the traditional derby lead-up events, that in her attempt to be the first filly since Popsy in 1993 to win the Blue Riband, Zarzuela is the current $2.20 punters elect. 

“We are naturally feeling a little nervous as the weekend draws close, but I think it’s healthy to be so,” said Paykel.

“Win, lose or draw we know she will try her best and that’s all that we can ask,” added Paykel.

Paykel is no stranger to the pressures of racing at the elite level, with successful group one forbearers including Alacrity, the winner of the 1996 New Zealand Oaks, and Star Satire, Zarzuela’s dam who won the Gr.1 Otaki-Maori WFA among her five career wins. He also shared in the ownership of Zonda, who claimed the 1997 New Zealand Derby, and the 2001 The Oaks Stud Classic at Ellerslie.

Paykel is also no stranger to the “swings and round-a-bout” ride racing can deal out, and ironically it is through a racing injury striking Star Satire in 2002, that Zarzuela was bred.

“Star Satire was badly galloped on in the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes at Te Aroha and it ended her racing career,” said Paykel.

“We initially sent her to Fusaichi Pegasus, but the subsequent foal died.  Her second foal, a colt by Redoute’s Choice, died from Laminitis during his yearling preparation,” explained Paykel.

“After Zarzuela was born I received and an offer for Star Satire that I couldn’t refuse so I sold her.”

Star Satire now resides at Cressfield Stud in the Hunter Valley and interestingly has a filly by Flying Spur bound for the Sydney Easter Sales.

“I was always going to keep the filly (Zarzuela) to keep the family line going for me, and she is doing a pretty good job so far,” said Paykel.

Paykel, who currently breeds from six mares who are all domiciled at Trelawney Stud in Cambridge, also races the promising So Pristine, who has just returned to the stable of Richard Collett in Pukekohe, and the Peter Moody-trained Fairy Gem, who is entered in Monday’s group two Adelaide Cup at Morphettville.

“I’ve decided that I am going to move my focus more towards racing rather than breeding,” said Paykel.

“I will keep my top three mares and will sell the other three.

“Having said that I have Zarzuela, Fairygem, and So Pristine who will eventually be broodmares, so it may be easier said than done!” quipped Paykel.

In the meantime, Zarzuela, who her owner cleverly named by amalgamating the “Z” factor of her sire Zabeel with his  love of classical music, will proudly carry Paykel’s colours to the start of the New Zealand Derby on Saturday.

“Zarzuela is a Spanish satirical opera and her grand-dam was Satirical so the name fitted her well,” explained Paykel.

“George Simon pronounces her name perfectly – I hope he perfectly calls her first past the post on Saturday,” added Paykel.