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Zebra’s chance to earn Group 1 stripes

Back-to-back wins could force trainers to raise ambitions with professional juvenile.

LE ZEBRA winning the Jockey Appreciation Plate at Flemington in Australia.
LE ZEBRA winning the Jockey Appreciation Plate at Flemington in Australia. Picture: Racing Photos.

David Browne has always felt Le Zebra would be worth of Group 1 appearances at some stage this year, but the raising of the bar might happen earlier than first thought after his win at Flemington on Saturday.

The Cranbourne trainer will now consider sending the two-year-old north for next month's $500,000 J J Atkins (1600m) at Eagle Farm.

The 1400-metre Flemington win followed victory over 1300m at Sandown on May 6 and while Browne is leaning towards spelling Le Zebra and setting for spring's three-year-old features, the gelding has forced he and co-trainer wife Emma-Lee Browne to consider a trip north.

"We'll possibly put him away, possibly, but we might look maybe at going to Queensland," Browne said.

"I think he's earned a path there if we want to go there, but we'll just make sure he comes through it right."

Le Zebra ($4.40) took his record to two wins from four starts with his one-length all-the-way victory over Mojave Desert ($9). Stellar Mofeed ($14) was three-quarters-of-a-length away third.

Le Zebra has appreciated the step up in distance from two starts over 1200m to start his career and Browne is confident the son of Rip Van Winkle's best will be seen over further.

"We think he's a pretty tidy horse because he's going to get over a bit more ground too, which is going to be perfect for him," he said.

"There is a lot more in store for him because we haven't really got into him properly yet. We've just let him do it naturally."

Blake Shinn, who rode Le Zebra on debut when fourth to Amur at The Valley in January, took over from Mark Zahra, who was aboard for the Sandown win, and has been taken with his professionalism.

"He's just an unphased, uncomplicated horse with good talent," Shinn said.


Racing and Sports



Flemington Saturday, 20th May 2023

6f211y TURF SOFT
AUD $150,000

Jockey Appreciation Plate

AUD $150,000
Age: 2yo Type: OPEN
6f211y TURF SOFT
FP Silk Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
Trainer
SP
WT
1st 1. LE ZEBRA (NZ) 2yo G
RIP VAN WINKLE (IRE) - ANGEL DEL DINERO (NZ)
BLAKE SHINN
EMMA-LEE & DAVID BROWNE
$4.4
58.5kg
Sparta Racing (Mgr: D S Browne), Mrs P Dean, D C Dean, C W Kwok, J E Schick, Ms J Stewart, M R Pollard, Ms M E Ellis, S J Caught, M Brindle, T J T Stewart & G Devonport

Sales Information

2nd 3. MOJAVE DESERT (AUS) 2yo C
I AM INVINCIBLE (AUS) - FINE BUBBLES (AUS)
ZAC SPAIN
CHRIS WALLER
$9
57kg
JAMES LAU PO MAN & ALICE WOO WAI SEE

Sales Information

3rd 11. STELLAR MOFEED (AUS) 2yo F
AKEED MOFEED (GB) - X STAR (USA)
JAKE NOONAN
K CORSTENS
$14
55kg
Ms I M Dogne & Mrs K S Stephenson

Sales Information

4th 8. EL PODER DEL SOL (NZ) 2yo C
ALMANZOR (FR) - SHE IS STRYKING (AUS)
JASON MASKIELL
LIAM HOWLEY
$19
57kg

Sales Information

5th 5. VICTORY COMMAND (NZ) 2yo C
PIERRO (AUS) - SUBATOMIC (GB)
BRIAN HIGGINS
PETER G MOODY
$6
57kg

Sales Information

6th 4. HYDROGEN POWER (AUS) 2yo C
THE AUTUMN SUN (AUS) - MADAM TRACY (AUS)
BEAU MERTENS
MICK PRICE & MICHAEL KENT JNR
$6
57kg

Sales Information

7th 2. RIFF ROCKET (AUS) 2yo G
AMERICAN PHAROAH (USA) - MISSILE CODA (AUS)
JYE MCNEIL
CHRIS WALLER
$3.4
57kg
8th 6. GATES (AUS) 2yo C
FRANKEL (GB) - BELLWETHER (GB)
LINDA MEECH
PETER G MOODY
$18
57kg

Sales Information

9th 7. WRITTEN BY YOU (AUS) 2yo G
WRITTEN BY (AUS) - SHE THINKS SO (AUS)
HARRY COFFEY
SIMON ZAHRA
$18
57kg

Sales Information

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