Murrray Bridge, October 15 – The Listed Murray Bridge Gold Cup on Wednesday went the way of four year-old gelding Excites Zelady, who was foaled and raised at Yarraman Park.
Prepared by Chris Bieg, Excites Zelady won the Group III SAJC Breeder Stakes at two, so has always had a touch of class and took out this 1600 metre feature by a short half head.
Excites Zelady has the overall record of four wins and four placings from 20 starts earning over $216,000 in prizemoney.
One of four stakes-winners for former Vinery Stud based sire Excites, who is now at Springfields Stud in Queensland, Excites Zelady is the best of five winners from five foals to race from Zeditave mare Zelady, a grand-daughter of New Zealand Group II winner Bound to Honour.
Excites Zelady was sold for $19,000 by Yarraman Park at the Inglis Select Weanling Sale to Ampulla Lodge, who re-offered the colt at the 2012 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale where he was purchased by his trainer for$27,000.
Zelady is now with Jilly Henderson at Middlebrook Station Thoroughbreds and has had a couple of stunning youngsters by Yarraman Park’s Champion First Season Sire, I Am Invincible.
Ms Henderson bred a lovely filly by I Am Invincible that sold for $80,000 at the 2013 Magic Millions and then another even more stunning filly that made $440,000 at Magic Millions this year to set the benchmark for her sire.
The first of those fillies, now the three year-old I Am Zelady, won a barrier trial at Rosehill on Tuesday morning for Sam Kavanagh, while the second filly, two year-old Comprende is with Phillip Stokes.
