Zarwaan: gained a maiden win at Listed level.
The remarkably consistent Zarwaan, who has recorded seven consecutive three-figure Racing Post ratings this season, bagged the biggest prize of his career at Redcar on Saturday when beating a seven-strong field of pattern performers in the Listed Guisborough Stakes.
Ridden by Graham Lee with Sheikh Hamdan’s retained jockeys on duty elsewhere, Zarwaan came fast and late to grab previous Group 3 winner So Beloved in the final half-furlong before stamping his authority on the £40,000 contest to win by three-quarters of a length.
This was just reward for a campaign that has been defined by a string of solid efforts, Zarwaan having defied the welter burden of ten stone in a Newcastle handicap in June before chasing home progressive three-year-old Make It Up in conditions company at Lingfield last time out.
The steady early gallop undid him in that affair but he had his conditions here, with a straight seven furlongs on good ground his absolute optimum. Key also is a good pace to chase, and that was ensured by the Mark Johnston-trained Enlace, who towed them along early before upping the tempo inside the final three furlongs.
Favourite Celestial Path, who had not been seen since finishing fifth in the 2,000 Guineas, was under pressure some way from home, and while the David O’Meara-trained So Beloved led inside the last before drifting markedly left, the result could be called some way out with Zarwaan last under any serious pressure.
Congratulations to Sheikh Hamdan and all of the team at Shadwell, while we are delighted for the horse himself, who ate up last night unbeknown that he had become a Listed winner, but his talent and consistency certainly merited a maiden success at the level.