Zethus bounces back to form with Starlight Stakes win

[Wandering Eyes]

Zethus winning the 2022 Starlight Stakes. Photo: Steve Hart

Zethus has got his mojo back for James Cummings and Godolphin to take out the Listed Starlight Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens and give Tim Clark his second winner for the day.

Jumping from barrier nine at $9 odds with online bookmakers, Zethus was settled two-lengths second behind Sneaky Paige ($11) throughout before the four-year-old Exceed and Excel gelding was asked for the extra effort mid-way down the straight with a wall of horses looming behind him.

Taking the lead with 100m to go, Zethus drove to the line under the guidance of Clark to hold on for victory over Sky Command ($7) who had snuck through on the rails with Fox Fighter ($7.50) coming through the middle of the field for third.

2022 Starlight Stakes Replay

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A Group 3 winner of the Canonbury Stakes as a two-year-old, stable representative Darren Beadman was happy to see Zethus find some of his old form this preparation.

“We didn’t intend him to be that handy, but it’s just the way that the race panned out and Timmy (Clark) was able to make a good executive decision and put him there.

“He’s a very fit horse and I think around the corner was the key to him today, he just seemed to race a little bit one paced waiting for a corner at Flemington (last start when finishing sixth in the Listed MSS Security Stakes on November 1) he was very good first up and he’s got form behind (The Hunter winner) Vilana last preparation.

“We’ve always had a really nice opinion of the horse, he’s very honest, but I just think that he needed that corner today.

“Everything fell into place for him at Mooney Valley (when winning a Benchmark 84 first up this preparation) and then second up, he was ok, but third up he was just a bit plain.

“But today he got his mojo back and he was right into it.”

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