Zavateri Confirmed His Class in the Coral Vintage Stakes and Remains Unbeaten

The colt trained by Eve Johnson Houghton handled his first try over seven furlongs with authority and now targets the G1 Dewhurst Stakes

Zavateri dug in gamely along the rail to preserve his unbeaten record / GOODWOOD

CHICHESTER, Inglaterra (Special for Turf Diario).- Zavateri, a son of Without Parole, continued his flawless start this Tuesday at Goodwood, claiming his third consecutive win in as many starts with a thrilling victory in the G2 Coral Vintage Stakes (1400m, turf) for 2-year-olds.

Trained by Eve Johnson Houghton, who had previously guided him to success in the July Stakes (G2), Zavateri was debuting over seven furlongs and showed the poise of a colt destined for big things. Comfortable throughout, he dug in courageously in the stretch to repel a fierce challenge from Morris Dancer (Palace Pier), edging him out by a nose. About two lengths further back, Do Or Do Not (Space Blues) completed the trifecta.

“Zavateri is simply tough,” his trainer summarized, already dreaming of a classic campaign. “He had to win that race twice. It looked like he had it under control, but William [Buick] came strongly with Morris Dancer and he had to fight again. He’s a lovely horse—one of those you just admire. At home he’s very easygoing, just a bit restless when we get to the track because he wants to run. But he’s a pleasure to have, and everyone at the stud adores him.”

Carrying a penalty weight for his Newmarket win didn’t slow Zavateri down. “It was a risk running here with the penalty, but where else would we go? The G1 races aren’t until September or October, so we decided to come to Goodwood and then give him a break, aiming for the Dewhurst. My dad trained Tout Seul (Ali-Royal), who won that race in 2002, and I think this colt might even be better...” Johnson Houghton shared her hopes.

Jockey Charlie Bishop was equally impressed: “This colt has a huge heart. When William came on the outside, I thought we were beaten, but Zavateri fought back. He’s very brave, has a winning attitude, and clearly lots of talent. He ran a great race carrying the penalty. The Dewhurst is the goal, and after that we can start thinking about the Guineas. He finished the 1400 meters very strongly.”

Bishop also praised his partnership with the trainer: “Eve is a dream to ride for on days like this. When there’s mutual trust, everything flows. We have fantastic owners, Mick and Janice, who deserve all the luck they have.”

Runner-up trainer John Gosden expressed his satisfaction with Morris Dancer: “We’re delighted with him. He came off a minor setback and we only gave him light work, but he responded brilliantly. Being by Palace Pier, it’s nice to see him stand out. William told me not to hesitate trying him over a mile, and that’s the plan.”

Jockey William Buick added: “When I caught him, I thought we’d win, but the winner found a bit more. Still, it was a great performance and a big improvement from last time.”

Meanwhile, Ed Walker, trainer of Do Or Do Not, showed some frustration: “Close again, but it wasn’t enough. At one point I thought we had it. He’s very consistent and always runs well, but maybe we need to find a slightly easier race for him to get back to winning ways.”

With this victory, Zavateri has firmly established himself among the top 2-year-olds in the UK. The road ahead will be tougher, but all signs indicate he’s ready for the challenge.