Trainer David Hayes has included Zululand in the nominations for the 2014 J.J. Atkins that will be run at Eagle Farm on June 7 during the 2014 Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival.
Zululand could be given another chance to become the first son of Fastnet Rock to win a Group 1 event as a two-year-old. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Zululand made his racing debut with a second place finish behind Nordic Empire in the Flemington Equine Clinic Plate (1000m) at Caulfield on November 30 and finished fourth in the Group 2 Chairman’s Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on February 1 before failing to fire in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at the same venue three weeks later.
The talented colt recorded his maiden race win in the Group 2 VRC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on March 8 and, after an unlucky fifth in the Group 1 Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 12, he finished second behind Go Indy Go in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) at the same venue last weekend.
Hayes was hoping that Zululand could become the first son of Fastnet Rock to score a Group 1 victory as a two-year-old, before the Champagne Stakes, and he is a chance of being given another chance to score a maiden win at the highest level of racing in the J.J Atkins.
Another juvenile that has been included in the 2014 J.J. Atkins nominations who already has experience at the highest level of racing is Darley-owned colt Mohave.
Mohave made his racing debut with a second place finish behind Law in the Listed New South Wales Thoroughbred Breeders Plate (1000m) at Royal Randwick on October 5 last year and took out the Listed Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) at Caulfield on January 25 before finishing tenth in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) and sixth in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes.
He is joined in the 2014 J.J. Atkins nominations by stablemate Careless, who finished second behind Veuvelicious in the Listed Fernhill Handicap (1600m) at Royal Randwick on April 19.
Leading Sydney trainer Gai Waterhouse won the 2013 edition of the J.J. Atkins with the lightly-raced Romantic Touch and has included fourteen juveniles in the nominations for this year’s edition of the race.
Another Al, Global Domination, Harir, Himpapawid, Important, Jurisdiction, Skylimit and Sports Edition are all yet to make their racing debuts, while Almalad, Exalted Warrior, Mumbai Rock, Our Catch, Precia and Sun Force all have limited racing experience.
