Adelaide, May 5 – The $500,000 Group I SAJC South Australian Derby was run at Morphettville on Saturday with victory going to progressive three year-old colt Zabeelionaire, a $250,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the draft of Yarraman Park that was bred by Australian Derby winner Ethiopia’s owner/breeder Trevor Delroy.

Fourth in the Group I VRC Victoria Derby in the spring, the Leon Corstens trained colt broke his maiden at Geelong when scoring by eight lengths and then tuned up for his Derby assault with a stylish win at Caulfield two weeks ago.

Settled back in the field by Damien Oliver from barrier one, Zabeelionaire (pictured courtesy Racepix Vic) travelled well before accelerating along the inside in the straight when allowed clear running to win the 2500 metre staying test by half a length.

Purchased by Corstens/Sadler Racing, Zabeelionaire runs for a big group of owners led by Brad Spicer and has won three of 11 starts earning $467,780 in prizemoney, looming as a high class stayer of the future.

Zabeelionaire is certainly bred to stay all day and is the first foal of Group II placed Carnegie (IRE) mare Kisumu, who comes from the family of Group I winner Vialli.

Interestingly, he was bred by Trevor Delroy’s Wyadup Valley Farm, which was also responsible for breeding Group I ATC Australian Derby winner Ethiopia.

“He came to us after he was weaned from New Zealand,” Harry Mitchell recalled.

“He was always a beautiful, quality colt and very correct, but he was immature and a real baby for a long time, which I guess is what you expect with a Zabeel.

“At the sales, he was a nice yearling, but not overly big and you’d have been hoping he would continue on growing the right way, which he has, so it’s great to see him come out and win a Group I.”

Zabeelionaire is yet another stakes-winner sold by Yarraman Park with other Black Type winning graduates this season including Jade Marauder, Soft Sand, Celebrity Girl, Bliss Street and Facile Tigre.