CHEETAH ZORRO emerged as a promising stayer after dispensing with a quality field in a mixed grades four and five event over 599 metres in Hobart last Thursday night.
The Brendan Pursell-trained bitch began brilliantly from box three to lead by three lengths heading to the top turn.
What made the performance so good was that she had Posh Will hot on her heels and ready to strike turning for home.
But Cheetah Zorro showed no signs of stopping and if anything she was extending his lead over Posh Will over the final 80 metres.
Posh Will is rated one of the best stayers in the state and while it was her first run for six weeks she looked in great shape and primed for a bold first-up effort.
Cheetah Zorro has taken her time to come to terms with racing but she has started to show signs that she will be a contender in all the longer distance races in the coming months.
“She went well at Devonport the start prior and she jumped well that day and it proves that if she does what she’s done at her past two starts and gets on the bunny then she is going to be very hard to beat,” Pursell said.
“I am confident she will get better with age because she is starting to begin better and that’s just been a matter of time.”
“One thing she does well is stay and the further she goes the better she’ll like it,” he said.
Cheetah Zorro, owned and bred by Colin Garrity and Barry Heawood, is from former star stayer Fallen Zorro that won a number of feature races on the mainland.
Fallen Zorro, along with kennel mate Chinatown Lad, took the nation by storm three years ago when in the care of Shane Whitney who has just made his way back into the training ranks.
Cheetah Zorro has been a model of consistency since finding her way into Pursell’s kennel about six months ago.
“I think she’s been in the money all but one of her 16 starts for me so you’d like to have every dog in the kennel producing those sort of stats,” he said.
Pursell hopes to venture to Victoria with Cheetah Zorro further down the track.
“I’d say a trip toMelbournea bit further down the road is a likelihood for this bitch.”
“Provided she stays sound and she keeps improving there is every chance that we’ll look for races on the mainland but in the meantime well just keep chipping away at home,” he said.
Cheetah Zorro will have her next start in Hobart on Thursday night but over the shorter trip..
“She goes back to 461 metres next start but if she begins as well as she did tonight then she will still be very hard to beat next start,” he said.