Cabeza Held In High Regard

22 January 2011

Leading trainer Danny O’Brien has compared rising star Cabeza favourably with some of his previous leading lights after the four-year-old’s dominant victory at Flemington yesterday. The son of Zabeel has been in outstanding form this preparation and raced away under apprentice Jason Maskiel for the fourth win of his career.

Horses like Gallopin and Vigor have come through these summer races and ended up in Caulfield and Melbourne Cups and I’d say he’s every bit as good as those horses at the same stage of their careers, he said. Part-owned by WS, Cabeza has turned his form around since he was gelded at the end of his last preparation and at his previous appearance had produced a record-breaking victory at Moonee Valley.

When he broke the track record the other night, you get a bit excited but always want to see them back it up again the next start, O’Brien said. The horse is likely to make his next appearance over 2000 metres at Caufield in a fortnight.

Cabeza is out of the dual Gr 3 Manawatu Classic and White Robe Lodge Stakes winner (Lady) Iguazu and is a half-brother to the Gr 3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes winner Splashing Out. WS will offer an O’Reilly colt (Lot 361) out of their half-sister Iguazu’s Girl (Redoute’s Choice) at the upcoming Premier Sale at Karaka.

Tivaci’s Movie Night steals the show at Newcastle

A sister to the Gr.1 ATC Flight Stakes (1600m) winner Never Been Kissed, the Waikato Stud-bred and raced Movie Night (NZ) was rewarded for her consistency, breaking her maiden with an all-the-way win over 1400m at Newcastle for trainer Tom Charlton.

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