LEADING THROUGHOUT DOES THE TRICK FOR ZOUDINI

The hot streak for Lindsey Smith and Spicer Thoroughbreds continued with a great ride by Brett Prebble aboard Zoudini at Ballarat on July 6.

Smith has saddled up five winners for Spicer Thoroughbreds since July 1, the lethal combo missing the winner’s stall once. Prebble, enjoying a golden run himself, has joined forces for all but one of the victors.

Zoudini was purchased at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale in 2018. Then a colt by Zoustar out of Valkyrie Diva and making him a close relation to one of the great race mares of the modern era in Makybe Diva.

Offered by Tony Santic’s great Victorian nursery Makybe, Zoudini’s dam is a half-sister to the three-time Melbourne Cup winner, also remembered for a dominant Cox Plate triumph.

The synergy between Spicer Thoroughbreds and Makybe dates back to 2008. Brad Spicer bought and syndicated Starspangledbanner. Santic’s Makybe Racing and Breeding, bred the colt and retained a shareholding in the subsequent winner of Group 1 races in both hemispheres.

Zoudini has not finished worse than fourth in five starts and the lightly-raced rising five-year-old may go with the job after breaking through in authoritative fashion.

“Hopefully now he has saluted we can go back to Ballarat on the 20^th of July over the same distance for hopefully the same result,” Spicer said.