Main harbouring Group-race hopes for Zoulu Chief

Adam Morgan
September 1, 2023 2:19 pm

Doncaster and Newbury on the radar for York hero.

Zoulu Chief will be given the chance to repeat his explosive front-running exploits in either the Flying Childers or the Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes as Heather Main targets a step up in grade for her in-form youngster.

A shock 150-1 winner when blazing a trail at Newbury earlier in the season, he has left disappointments in both the Coventry Stakes and at Goodwood in the past by registering back-to-back nursery victories in devasting fashion recently, scoring in both the Racing League at Windsor and then a competitive event during York’s Ebor meeting.

Zoulu Chief will now be tried in Group company as he seeks to extend his winning run and although heading to Newbury on September 23 would see the Zoustar colt continue to ply his trade over the six furlongs he has made his name, Main is also considering a drop back to five furlongs at Doncaster on September 15 for the Carlsberg-sponsored Group Two.

“He’s an exciting horse,” said Main.

“We found out at Goodwood he doesn’t like soft ground and that was fact finding. At Ascot he was good enough to be in the race but things just didn’t go our way, so we have drawn a line through that. But we have never lost faith in him.

“We were thinking of the Mill Reef, but I’m slightly worried the ground might be gone by then.

“We are also thinking of the Flying Childers as well. It would be a drop back to five furlongs, but he is showing he has tons of pace and I don’t think it would be a bad thing to do.

“He deserves to be in a Group race, definitely.”

Zoulu Chief has been easy to spot when making all in each of his three victories so far and Main sees no reason to change successful front-running tactics aboard the thriving juvenile.

“He just loves doing it and he has such a strong natural pace it seems a shame to interfere with it,” she added. “That just seems to be the way he loves to race.

“Obviously if we stepped him up in trip we might have to think of different tactics, but it seems to be working at his current trip.

“He’s got this special stride where he really gets down and grabs the ground. It’s quite nice to watch.”