Group One option for Le Zebra

[Wandering Eyes]

Smart two-year-old Le Zebra (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) will be considered for a tilt at the Gr.1 JJ Atkins (1600m) at Eagle Farm on June 10 after another strong on-speed metropolitan victory when scoring over 1400m at Flemington on Saturday.

Prepared by Emma-Lee and David Browne, the son of Rip Van Winkle had previously prevailed over 1300m at Sandown on May 6 and the Brownes will now consider a trip north.

“We’ll possibly put him away, possibly, but we might look at going to Queensland,” David Browne said.

“I think he’s earned a path there if we want to go there, but we’ll just make sure he comes through it alright.”

Le Zebra ($4.40) took his record to two wins from four starts with his one-length all-the-way victory over Mojave Desert (I Am Invincible) ($9). Stellar Mofeed (Akeed Mofeed) ($14) was three-quarters-of-a-length away in third.

The handsome grey has appreciated the step up in distance from two starts over 1200m to start his career and Browne is confident the gelding’s best will be seen over further.

“We think he’s a pretty tidy horse because he’s going to get over a bit more ground too, which is going to be perfect for him,” he said.

“There is a lot more in store for him because we haven’t really got into him properly yet. We’ve just let him do it naturally.

“It always helps if you can go forward. It takes a lot of bad luck out of the equation.”

Le Zebra is out of the My Halo mare Angel Del Dinero (NZ), who herself was a winner and finished second in the Gr.3 Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) at Trentham.

Le Zebra is the fourth winner from five foals to race out of Angel Del Dinero, who is also the dam of the Brownes’ four-race winner Bifrost (NZ), a son of Turn Me Loose.

The Brownes bought Bifrost for $40,000 at Karaka 2020, followed by the $60,000 purchase of his half-brother Le Zebra two years later.

Adding to their investment in the family, the Brownes went online for the 17 April auction on gavelhouse.com and secured Angel Del Dinero for $26,000.

“He is actually the third member of the family we have bought and he is probably the best type, so we thought we better not miss out,” Browne said. “We’re pretty happy.”

Le Zebra was rated to perfection by Blake Shinn, who rode Le Zebra on debut when fourth to Amur (Snitzel) at The Valley in January, then took over from Mark Zahra, who was aboard for the Sandown win, and was taken with his professionalism.

“Physically he is quite an advanced two-year-old. He was that type back then in January. But full credit to Emma-Lee and David. They have targeted this time of year,” Shinn said.

“He is a horse that handles wet ground and you can take advantage of great prizemoney in town when the fields fall away. He has got good talent and he has capitalised on that.

“He’s just an unphased, uncomplicated horse with good talent and well done to them.”

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