Zebedee springs up in Flying Childers
Richard Hughes was at his patient best when Zebedee won his sixth race from seven starts in the Group Two Polypipe Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster.
Hughes elected to stay at the back as the field broke into two groups in the opening stages as Meow and Bathwick Bear led the main group on the stands’ rail, while The Thrill Is Gone was at the head of the quartet who raced down the centre of the track.
By the final furlong there five spread across the track but Zebedee, whom Hughes had smuggled into the race for a late charge on a horse who has a habit of idling in front, came through with a smooth run one the rail to Dinkum Diamond by a neck that was probably more comfortable in terms of its authority than the bare result may suggest. “Look at the size of him. He’s tiny – I feel like a giraffe on him.
“But he’s got an amazing burst but he nearly pulled up there – I was there too soon,” Hughes said, adding of the colt’s easy-going temperament “you wouldn’t hear his heart beat at the start. He hacks down, stands like a lamb – even though the horses were walking around there for a good five minutes – he just stood there. And you put him where you want to in the race and he just switches off. You just have to pick the right ones to follow.”
The £45,000 first prize took trainer Richard Hannon into the lead over Sir Michael Stoute and Aidan O’Brien in what is developing into a three-way battle for this season’s Flat trainers’ championship.
Zebedee’s owner, Julie Wood, has had 24 winners trained by Hannon this season and said: “It would mean everything for us for him to win the title because everyone is so fond of Richard and we’ll do what we can to help him.
“What a horse. Zebedee is very game and we will look for another opportunity now. He does nothing wrong. You know he's never going to win by five lengths, but that is just his style of racing. He's exceptionally laid back at home - he saves it all for the racecourse.
"He's got an entry in the Mill Reef and you've got to take your chance in these big races as he takes his racing so well."
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