IN fitting circumstances, General Zabeel showed why his champion sire would not soon be forgotten.
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Hours after Zabeel died aged 29 at Cambridge Stud on Friday night, his progeny continued his winning legacy at Kembla Grange.
A grinding staying effort in the Grand Pacific Drive Class 1 & Maiden Plate (2000m) saw General Zabeel salute for trainer John Thompson and jockey Blake Spriggs.
The omen runner took an age to wind up but eventually overcame Gwenda Markwell’s Valanda in the shadows of the post.
‘‘I was really impressed with how he hit the line over the last furlong,’’ Spriggs said.
‘‘He is still very raw and green. Obviously it was a good job from John to get him up from a spell over 2000m and to run it out strong.
‘‘We is probably going to better across the going and ridden up on the speed.
‘‘We just had to ride him back today to overcome the second-up and he probably isn’t quite as fit as what he could be.’’
Spriggs’ patient ride produced a staying effort Zabeel would have been proud of.
He waited at the rear of the small field before finding the best going in the straight to reel in the leaders.
It was a display that showed all of the attributes which have become common in progeny of the champion sire on a heavy track.
Zabeel produced 44 individual Group 1 winners, including three Melbourne Cups, three Caulfield Cups and four Cox Plates victors.
Thompson’s gelding may never reach those heights but has shown the trainer plenty of promise in his short career.
He had high hopes in General Zabeel’s debut preparation, racing the now four-year-old in the Group 2 Tulloch Stakes and the Listed VRC St Leger.
A visit to the same grade of racing may still be a while off, but Spriggs expects to see continued improvement from the second-up run.
‘‘It is only the beginning. I think it was just to bring him here to get his mind on the job and keep his confidence up,’’ he said.
‘‘Hopefully they can now keep putting him through the grades.
‘‘They went to Flemington pretty quickly after he won at Goulburn last time in.
‘‘I think John will take his time a little bit off today and maybe head towards a mid-week and progress from there.’’
The win took General Zabeel’s record to two wins and a second from eight starts.
Later on the card, Butterboom made it two on the bounce for trainer Joe Pride with an impressive victory in the Lawrence Hargrave Drive F&M Benchmark 65 Handicap (1200m).
Jay Ford dictated the speed on the promising mare and eased to victory by a length under confident riding.
Matthew Smith’s Zin Zan Elsie was second and Feature was third.
