Zia Zabel returns in fine fettle Zia Zabel responded well to pressure to win on seasonal reappearance in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Race in Cork. Natalia Lupini's charge was the subject of overnight support and he was returned a well backed 10/3 chance. He came under a drive from Wayne Lordan along the far side rail inside the final quarter of a mile, but found plenty to overhaul Brownstown and The Publican's Son in the final furlong. The latter pair came back at him in the closing stages, but Zia Zabel hit the line well and was a length clear of 5/6 favourite The Publican's Son with Brownstown (8/1) a further half a length back in third. Lordan said: "He had a good run the first day, but the ground was plenty slow for him on his second run. We thought he'd run a big race today and now has the chance of stepping up to 1m2f. "He is quite a big horse so might also have been a tad weak after his first run, but it worked out today and I thought he won well. "He is a fine horse and they always liked him even before he ran. They thought he wouldn't be far away today." Zia Zabel finished second at the Curragh and fourth in Leopardstown in two juvenile outings. Additional reporting by Tom Weekes
