Zeitung presses Thousand Guineas claims with strong Vanity victory

Improving filly Zeitung could be a starter in the G1 Thousand Guineas in a fortnight after powering home on Saturday, 2 November to win The Vanity over 1,400m at Flemington.

Courtesy of a brilliant ride from Mark Zahra, Zeitung angled between runners at the top of the home straight before finishing hard to beat Matisse and Dominetta in the G2 event for three-year-old fillies.

Just behind the placegetters in Stakes company at three starts before her second in the Thousand Guineas Prelude at Caulfield last month, Zeitung appeared to appreciate the bigger track and recorded her third win from nine starts.

Godolphin Australia head trainer James Cummings said a better draw and the guile of Zahra aided Zeitung’s mission.

“I’d say the barrier she drew today (four) was a great advantage compared to the barrier she drew (eight) at Caulfield,” he said.

“She chased home resolutely a few weeks ago and yet she never gave up the ghost and kept trying.

“That gave me quite a lot of confidence that she would be solid here over seven (furlongs).

“She missed the kick slightly but she got home great out wide.

“It’s great for her (pedigree) page, she’s very valuable and we can consider her for the Thousand Guineas.”

The daughter of Exceed And Excel has had five starts this preparation, in Sydney and Melbourne, Cummings will consider a Thousand Guineas start if she pulls up well.

“Maybe we’ll put her in the paddock, but there’s a lot to be said for testing the filly because there’s one thing about her – she’s quite resolute and if we decided to go there then I think she’d acquit herself well,” he said.

“The winner of the first race (Aeliana) was pretty impressive so there are lovely three-year-old fillies around, but Zeitung could be right amongst them.

“I’d love to see her stretch to the mile but her’s was a big effort today.

“A great start for my team at the start of Cup week, that’s got us pretty pumped.”

Zahra was impressed with Zeitung’s will to win after she’d bungled the start and had to track Matisse into the race. 

“I didn’t begin that well, but I got in a nice spot behind Matisse,” said last year’s Melbourne Cup-winning rider.

“She took me everywhere I wanted to go, but she actually dropped me at the top of the straight.

“I thought I was running for second, but she (Zeitung) was strong, kept digging in and was dominant late.

“She had a tough run over 1400m the other day and that put her in good stead.

“She had to be tough the last 100m and she was.”

Zahra believed Zeitung would be suited with the rise to 1,600m in the Thousand Guineas.

“With that carrot (G1) dangling only a fortnight away, I suppose you have to have a crack at it,” he said.

Meanwhile, Cummings has accepted with Zardozi in Tuesday’s G1 Melbourne Cup (3,200m) after the four-year-old mare’s slashing fifth in the G1 Empire Rose Stakes over 1,600m at Flemington on Saturday.

Second-last into the home straight, Zardozi rocketed along the inside to finish a closing fifth behind Atishu.

Cummings said the Empire Rose was a perfect “final gallop before the Melbourne Cup” and perfect preparation for the “super challenge” of running two miles on Tuesday.