The Auckland couple's thoroughbred operation struck gold with the home-bred
Marky Mark in Saturday's Gr.1 Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes following a close
third the previous evening at Moonee Valley with Griante in the Gr.1 William
Reid Stakes.They are now looking forward to the future prospects of their well-related filly Zabelle, who will shortly open a preparation that could take her all the way to Australia.
After placing in two of her four starts before Christmas, she was put aside with a Brisbane plan in mind.
"She's doing well and we'd like to set her on a path toward the Queensland Oaks," trainer Barry Smith said.
"We'll run her at Te Aroha on Saturday over 1400 metres in a set weights and penalties race for three-year-olds and that will give us a good guide as to where she is at.
"We can assess her after that and then give her one more run here and then we'll know whether she's staying or going to Australia."
While Zabelle has yet to open her winning account, she has showed promise and finished runner-up to the subsequent stakes performer Arrow In The Sand at Te Rapa before she was given a break.
"There's some good form around her and she's getting stronger all the time," Smith said.
"Being by Zabeel getting up over more ground will be right up her alley and if her two runs here are good enough we'll head to Brisbane and try to qualify her for the Oaks there."
Zabelle was purchased out of Westbury Stud's 2013 Premier Sale draft for $150,000 and the Lindsays also bought her younger O'Reilly half-brother Scooter O'Reilly for $60,000 the following year. He has placed once from three starts.
They are out of the Irish-bred Danehill Dancer mare Sussex Dancer, who is from the family of the Group One winner and champion sire Last Tycoon.
Should Zabelle's future progress confirm an Oaks tilt, she is likely to be accompanied to Brisbane by a younger partner.
"We've got a few two-year-olds to trial next week and if one of them puts their hand up we'll look at taking it over as a mate, more for the experience than anything," Smith said. – NZ Racing Desk.
