News

Zizou returns from stud duties

14th Jan 2009

AAP racing - By Mark Ryan - Wednesday, 14 January 2009

Golden Slipper and Blue Diamond Stakes runner-up Zizou is on the comeback trail after a stint at stud last spring and is likely to return to racing in the Group One Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield.

Gary Fennessy, assistant trainer to David Hayes at Flemington, said Zizou had been back in work for four or five weeks.

The four-year-old son of Fusaichi Pegasus served 70 mares at Turangga Stud at Scone in the NSW Hunter Valley where he stood for a fee of $16,500 including GST.

Turangga Stud principal Stuart Ramsey bought into the horse after he was retired after finishing last to Forensics in the Group Two Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill in March last year.

Zizou, who is a member of the same family as 1988 Oakleigh Plate winner Snippets, raced 13 times for just the one win, in the 2006 Maribyrnong Trial Stakes (1000m) at Flemington.

But he was runner-up on five occasions including in four Group races, chasing home Sleek Chassis in the 2007 Blue Diamond and Forensics in the Golden Slipper.

"He was always a lovely natured horse. He's a quiet bull (stallion)," Fennessy said.

"He did some swimming before he came back to us and he's been doing some even-time (pacework).

"He'll have a barrier trial to see if he is still interested but I can't see any problem with him coming back."

The Group One Oakleigh Plate (1100m) is run on February 21.

Hayes, who is a part-owner of Zizou, this week nominated him for the $1 million Newmarket Hcp (1200m) run at Flemington on March 7.