Son of I Am Invincible impresses in Randwick jump-out
Zarastro (2 c I Am Invincible - Adrift by Zabeel) looks to have inherited some of his mother’s talent as he posted an impressive victory in his 1045 metre trial at Randwick on Tuesday morning.
The Chris Waller-trained two-year-old colt was tucked in second by James McDonald, before being coaxed to the lead with a 100 metres left to travel and posted an easy length and a quarter victory over Villani (Not A Single Doubt) in a time of 1:03.09 seconds.
Purchased by his trainer and Guy Mulcaster for $1,050,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the Segenhoe Stud draft earlier this year, the colt is now raced in a partnership which includes Coolmore Stud.
Zarastro is out of the Group 2-winning New Zealand-bred mare Adrift (Zabeel), who is herself a half-sister to 2016 Karaka 2YO Million (RL, 1200m) winner Xiong Feng (Iffraaj), while she is also a three-quarter sister to three-time Group 1 winner Maldivian (Zabeel).
Since the colt was purchased at the Gold Coast, Adrift was bought by Damon Gabbedy’s Belmont Bloodstock for $700,000 at the Inglis Chairman's Sale. After missing to Fastnet Rock (Danehill), Adrift foaled a colt by Merchant Navy (Fastnet Rock) last month and has been covered again by I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit).
Meanwhile later on in the morning, Selhurst Park (2 c ex Not A Single Doubt - Palazzo Cristallo by More Than Ready) also showed great promise when he took out his 735 metre trial.
Trained by Mark Newnham, the son of Not A Single Doubt (Redoute’s Choice) raced greenly throughout the trial, but did his best work late to post a three-quarter length victory over Maralago (Sebring) in a time of 43.53 seconds.
Purchased by his trainer for $325,000 at the this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, the colt is out of the placed More Than Ready (Southern Halo) mare Palazzo Cristallo, who is herself a daughter of dual Group 2 winner Palacio de Cristal (Encosta De Lago).
Palacio de Cristal is out of 1997 Queensland Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Crystal Palace (Palace Music), while further afield this is the same family as dual Group 3 winner Zephyr Souba (Zephyr Bay) - the dam of multiple Group 1-winning champion Naturalism (Palace Music).
Further back this is also the family of Group 2 scorer Vanna Girl (Husson) and Listed-winning duo Impressionism (Vice Regal) and Alinga (Rock of Gibraltar).
In 2019 Palazzo Cristallo foaled a colt by Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice), who will be offered Westbury Park Stud at next year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale as Lot 622.
