His oldest progeny may only be three-years-old but Westbury Stud stallion Tarzino is already starting to leave his mark.
He celebrated another pleasing weekend of results, led by Jungle Magnate’s win in the Mornington Guineas (1600m) on Saturday.
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained gelding showed form in the spring, placing in both the Listed Hill Smith Stakes (1800m) and Gr.2 Moonee Valley Vase (2040m).
His trainers subsequently set the Gr.1 South Australian Derby (2500m) as a key target this autumn, and Jungle Magnate is right on target after his first-up victory, which came in the stewards room after being struck on the nose by the whip of Beau Mertens who rode first past-the-post Sharp Response.
Westbury Stud General Manager Russell Warwick was pleased to see the son of Tarzino add to his sire’s stocks.
A son of Tavistock, Warwick said Tarzino is starting to fit the mould of his sire.
“You would say if Tavistock was still alive he would be a popular resource for New Zealand breeders,” Warwick said.
“Tarzino’s broodmare sire is Zabeel, we know what he did as a sire and how that suited our bloodlines here.
“It is a long way to go to reach where those horses got to but he is doing the right thing at the right stage.”
On Monday, Warwick was celebrating the Group One placing of Gypsy Goddess who charged into third in the delayed Vinery Stakes, which was run over a reduced 1850m at Newcastle, where a 2000m start is not an option.
While the placing put an end to her undefeated record, she became her sire’s first Group One performer and Warwick is looking forward to next month where she will likely contest the Gr.1 Australian Oaks (2400m).
“David Vandyke (trainer) is renowned as someone not to overstate his horses. He has been extremely bullish about his belief in this filly and what he thinks she is capable of,” Warwick said.
“He has obviously got a high regard for her.”
Warwick is excited about the prospects of Tarzino as a stallion, particularly with the emergence of two quality three-year-olds of either sex.
“When you are standing staying stallions it is a long wait and you have to believe in your horse,” he said.
“A lot of young stallions who leave precocious horses, the wait is a lot shorter and they get up and run, and put the writing up on the wall that they can or they will.
“For staying stallions there is no expectations with their two-year-old crops, so you have to wait three to four years down the track before you can expect them to show whether they have got the goods or they haven’t.
“We are starting to get to the stage with Tarzino with his oldest crop being three. You would have to say he is doing as much as you could expect of him at this time.”
