Big Zeb proves he’s still got what it takes
Posted by Robert James on Monday, November 14, 2011
Colm Murphy’s admirable old warrior Big Zeb made a wining start to the campaign when seeing off a determined challenge from both Noble Prince and Forpadydeplasterer to land the Grade 2 Fortria Chase at Navan for the third successive year, writes Elliot Slater.
Only once out of the first three in 23 completed starts in what has been a glittering career, the 10-year-old was sent off the 6/5 second favourite in the horse racing betting behind Evens chance Noble Prince and looked as though he might have to settle for second best when that rival and the rallying Forpadydeplasterer both loomed up looking very dangerous going to the second last.
Having taken up the running a fence earlier the old war horse could have been forgiven for not finding sufficient reserves on his seasonal bow, but he dug deep and refused to be passed by either challenger, eventually staying-on too strongly for his rivals to record a two-length verdict over Noble Prince, with Forpadydeplasterer just a head further back in third.
Murphy couldn’t have been more delighted with the performance and immediately nominated the Grade 1 Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown’s Christmas fixture as the next target for the 12-time winner. No firm plans have been made to travel to Cheltenham to bid to regain the Queen Mother Champion Chase title he won in 2010 and in which he finished second last year to Sizing Europe, with Murphy preferring to play things by ear for the time being.
With the benefit of a run under his belt it must have been a shade disappointing for connections of Noble Prince as well as those who bet on racing to see their well-fancied charge fail to pick up the winner from the second last, but those associated with the third placed Forpadydeplasterer must have been pleased with the way their charge rallied after being headed three from home and went down with all guns blazing.
Only once out of the first three in 23 completed starts in what has been a glittering career, the 10-year-old was sent off the 6/5 second favourite in the horse racing betting behind Evens chance Noble Prince and looked as though he might have to settle for second best when that rival and the rallying Forpadydeplasterer both loomed up looking very dangerous going to the second last.
Having taken up the running a fence earlier the old war horse could have been forgiven for not finding sufficient reserves on his seasonal bow, but he dug deep and refused to be passed by either challenger, eventually staying-on too strongly for his rivals to record a two-length verdict over Noble Prince, with Forpadydeplasterer just a head further back in third.
Murphy couldn’t have been more delighted with the performance and immediately nominated the Grade 1 Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown’s Christmas fixture as the next target for the 12-time winner. No firm plans have been made to travel to Cheltenham to bid to regain the Queen Mother Champion Chase title he won in 2010 and in which he finished second last year to Sizing Europe, with Murphy preferring to play things by ear for the time being.
With the benefit of a run under his belt it must have been a shade disappointing for connections of Noble Prince as well as those who bet on racing to see their well-fancied charge fail to pick up the winner from the second last, but those associated with the third placed Forpadydeplasterer must have been pleased with the way their charge rallied after being headed three from home and went down with all guns blazing.