The G3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup Handicap (2400m) at Sha Tin on 1 May has emerged as a long-range target for Zebrowski following the Australian import’s dogged victory in the G3 January Cup (1800m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (5 January).
Contesting only his seventh Hong Kong start, the 2020 G1 Australian Derby (2400m) runner-up displayed impressive staying qualities to provide Caspar Fownes and Joao Moreira with victory in the city circuit’s only Group race of the season.
Fownes, who famously teamed with Moreira to win last season’s BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) with Sky Darci, is confident Zebrowski – a son of Savabeel – will flourish even further over longer trips.
“He’s a horse that’s definitely on the improve and I think his best races are going to come towards the end of the season as he gets to a real staying trip,” Fownes said.
“From day one I said to the owner that I think he’s a real Queen Mother horse. We’ll just see how he pulls up and try to find something around the 2000 (metres) back at Sha Tin.
“From day one he hasn’t run a bad race and he probably should have at least another win under his name, he’s raced really well.”