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Rookie trainer Christopher Zintilis shooting for Queensland Cup glory

7 October 2021

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IMG-6463.JPGBy Jordan Gerrans

With advice and guidance from leading stables like Hawkes, Cummings and Waterhouse in his ears, rookie Queensland trainer Christopher Zintilis believes he is ready to forge his own path in the industry.

Just 21 years of age and only having his first starter as a trainer in the middle of June, Zintilis heads to one of the biggest days of his young career yet on Saturday, with in-form stayer Sir Gunsen thrown in the deep end in the Listed Queensland Cup.

Having grown up in Melbourne and now training at Deagon, Zintilis has travelled his way up the east coast of Australia in recent years, working for stables likes Team Hawkes, Godolphin with Cummings, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, as well as the barn of Wendy Roche in Sydney.

Zintilis believes he gathered the required experience, knowledge, techniques and methods from the leading trainers to go it alone at such a young age. 

“I do not think age is a limitation for anybody, if you are passionate enough you can do it,” Zintilis said.

“In my belief I have obtained enough experience to go out alone, I feel comfortable that I have, to get a small team of horses.

“I am aiming to nail the one percenters from what I have learnt at other stables and I am hoping to incorporate it into my methods as a trainer.

“I am giving it my best go as a trainer and the results are starting to reflect that.”

Boasting just three gallopers in his Deagon stable, the up-and-coming horseman would love to get up to around 10 horses in his barn, while still keeping a hands-on approach with his team.

“Hopefully we can have a small number of gallopers but high calibre horses,” he said.

From a family that hails from Cyprus, Zintilis was first introduced to the industry by his father, who owned a number of race horses, as well as having a property with broodmares, spelling race horses and yearlings.

He then worked as a stable hand during his school holidays in high school, before beginning work at Flemington once he had completed his studies.

Group 1 winning hoop Ron Stewart has been the emerging Zintilis stable’s first choice of rider in recent weeks and the experience hoop believes the young trainer will only progress within the Sunshine State training ranks.

Stewart was in the saddle when Sir Gunsen delivered Zintilis his first career winner as a trainer, bolting in by almost nine lengths at Ipswich in the middle of August.

Stewart thought the gelding would run well first-up that day, but did not think Sir Gunsen would “annihilate” the field like he did.

“He is very cool, calm and collected, he is doing a good job with a small team,” Stewart said of the young trainer.

“He is a nice bloke and it’s good to see him get his first winner on the board.

“He was really excited after that first winner but in saying that he was really focussed too, he was checking the horse over and having a look, which is good to see.

“He is still very new but he has shown me that he has the right credentials, he asks the right questions and he is only going to learn more and more.”

IMG-6462.JPGLike Zintilis, track work rider Beth Allday has recently relocated from Melbourne to Brisbane, previously working for Ellerton and Zahra Racing.

Allday splits her time riding work for Zintilis and Rob Heathcote at Eagle Farm and thinks Sir Gunsen is a stayer who just keeps improving with every race start and might just spring a surprise this Saturday.

“He is a brilliant ride – you get up every morning and I love coming to work, he is a really beautiful natured horse and quiet,” Allday said.

“He is an easy ride; he goes all day and just loves his work.

“He puts his head down and goes around lovely.

“He has blown me away how well he has raced and he works very well, we have always had a good opinion of him.”

Still only a Class 2 galloper, the son of So You Think faces a huge step-up in grade on Saturday in the $130,000 Listed feature over 2406 metres.

Premier Brisbane hoop Ryan Maloney was the pilot in Sir Gunsen’s second career victory at the Sunshine Coast in the middle of September, noting to Zintilis post-race the stayer could have gone another lap around Caloundra, such is his stamina.

Zintilis believes his five-year-old gelding has nothing to lose or prove going into the biggest test of his career and notes he has been eating and working well into Saturday.

The 38-year-old Stewart was proud to be apart of Zintilis’ first career victory as a trainer and is hopeful Sir Gunsen can deliver him his first black-type winner, as well.  

“If he can get out and run his own race like he did at Ipswich that day, he will give himself a chance as it is a huge jump in class this Saturday,” Stewart said.

“The fields have dropped off a little bit in recent weeks over the longer journeys, this horse will stay which is half the battle.

“He needs all the help he can go but one thing on his side is that he jumps and puts himself forward, he makes his own luck.

“Speaking to Chris, he thinks the horse will enjoy the firmer surface of Eagle Farm and hopefully that is a big plus.”

The experienced Stewart has had some luck in staying features this year already, partnering Selino to win the Group 1 Sydney Cup in April for the Chris Waller stable.