Mazu brilliant in Arrowfield 3YO Sprint

Maurice’s son Mazu stepped up from Listed company to Group 2 class with aplomb in the $1 million Arrowfield 3YO Sprint 1200m G2 on Day 2 of an outstanding edition of The Championships at Royal Randwick. 

The victory puts Mazu’s hat in the ring for Everest consideration and a chance to follow the example of the 2019 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint winner Classique Legend – a luckless 6th in that year’s Everest and winner of the $15 million feature a year later.

“Welcome to first grade Mazu!”

It was a small but mighty field in the Arrowfield Sprint.@SnowdenRacing1 @TripleCrownSynd @aus_turf_club pic.twitter.com/DMkjzC1PNA

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 9, 2022

Mazu’s success, a week after Hitotsu’s sensational Australian Derby G1 victory over 2400m, demonstrates the versatility of his sire Maurice who now heads Australia’s Second Season Sires’ table with almost $6.1 million, and has edged past I Am Invincible & Snitzel on the 3YO Sires’ premiership.

Co-trainer Paul Snowden noted the quality of Mazu’s 4-start, 4-win Autumn campaign. “To go unbeaten in a preparation is really hard to do in this day and age.”

“He’s got that ability to absorb pressure and we all know how good an asset that can be at the top level, especially one race in particular (The Everest). When he can absorb pressure like that and kick off the back of it and respond, that’s a very good attribute to have.”

Mazu is one of five winners out of Group-placed city winner Chatelaine (by Flying Spur) whose first foal Headway won the 2009 Coolmore Stud S. G1 and was runner-up in Phelan Ready’s Golden Slipper.

Offered by his breeder & part-owner Parsons Creek Farm at the Inglis Classic Sale, Mazu was a $180,000 purchase by Triple Crown’s Chris & Michael Ward who have already enjoyed two-time Everest glory with Snowden Racing and Snitzel’s Champion son Redzel.

Mazu has now won six of his ten starts and, with earnings of $1.1 million, becomes Maurice’s second Australian millionaire, after triple Group 1 Classic winner Hitotsu.

Maurice’s Derby-3YO Sprint double bracketed his equally successful week at Riverside Stables, where all 12 of his Inglis Easter yearlings sold, averaging $339,000 with a top price of $500,000 paid twice, for a pair of colts offered by Silverdale Farm and Arrowfield.