Untitled Document Zerrafoss Comes Zooming Back
The heavily bandaged legs of seven-year-old gelding Zerrafoss tell the story he is not the soundest horse going around at the moment, but two scintillating runs back from an 18-month lay-off suggest he may the most promising.
The striking son of Safely Kept, un-raced since January 2005, resumed at Globe Derby Park on August 28 and produced a super front-running display to destroy an average fast-class field. That run included a low-flying last half in 56.4 seconds.
Returning to Globe Derby last Saturday night against a small field of C5-C7 pacers, Zerrafoss again showed his legs are feeling as-good-as-ever with another scintillating last half of 57.3 seconds. Part-owner and driver Jeremy Seal sat had Zerrafoss outside the leader, No King, for the majority of the event before stealing a break at the 250-metre mark. Favourite Sonny Armbro ran into a dead-end at the same stage, allowing Seal and Zerrafoss to cruise to victory.
Jeremy Seal was Zerrafoss' original trainer, but he is now prepared by Jeremy's sister Melanie Kittel at Penfield, who admitted it has been a long road back for the gelding.
"Had a couple of starts here after coming back from Melbourne and then had a spell. Then coming back from the spell he did a tendon and it took him a very long time to come back," Kittel revealed.
"We wanted to take him slowly anyway to make sure he came back right, but he just had problem after problem. He just kept having things wrong with him and it has taken quite a while to get him back to this stage."
A dedicated routine of walking and ice has strengthened the problem leg, and the Seal family, although concentrating on keeping their charge sound, have their sights tentatively on another Victorian campaign.
"Hopefully he stays sound, we already ice his legs straight after a race," Kittel said. "I think the way he is going at the moment is probably better than he was going when he was in Melbourne so if he keeps that up we'll be alright."
"He will probably go back to Melbourne after a couple more starts here."
Shortly after a second placing to Hes A Corka in the four-year-old Southern Cross final in 2004, Zerrafoss embarked on a four-month campaign in Victoria with Gavin Lang. During that time he won five races including a quarter-final and semi-final of the Tontine Series before placing third to the smart Cashel Uisce in the final.
Zerrafoss would have been sent to Lang again for his next campaign, but with the premier horseman battling suspensions and appeals it is likely Melanie and Jeremy will race Zerrafoss across the border themselves before deciding the next step.
Footnote: Zerrafoss is out of Cullinan who Jeremy leased and raced before purchasing the mare to breed. Zerrafoss is the first foal from Cullinan, who now has three progeny to race - Cullton, Manzear and Zerrafoss. All three are winners trained by Melanie Kittel and owned by Jeremy Seal along with their mother Wendy.
