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Ziemba on track to continue winning family tradition.

18 June 2019

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By Glenn Davis

Trainer Rob Heathcote is hopeful Ziemba can continue one of the State’s most successful breeding stories when the youngster makes his debut at Doomben on Wednesday 19th June.

Ziemba and stablemate Mosshiki will step out in the male’s division of the QTIS Two-Year-Old Maiden (1200m).

Ziemba is a son of Rothesay out of the well performed mare Funtantes and has already shown early ability with a second and a win in two barrier trials.

Mosshiki is yet to place in three starts but was on the heels of the placegetters when resuming over 1110 metres at Doomben on June 9.

Heathcote co-trains the pair in partnership with Chris Anderson.

Funtantes won 10 races for Heathcote including the Group Two Champagne Classic during her career and amassed more than $700,000 in prizemoney.

She is a daughter of the prolific broodmare Cantantes who died last year after producing a string of winners including the promising Guntantes.

Ziemba is the first foal to race from Funtantes after her first foal died of a snake bite when only a month old.

“Funtantes was a great mare and is out of a great family but unfortunately she hasn’t had much luck yet of her own as a broodmare,” Heathcote said.

“But patience is a virtue in breeding and Ziemba has been trialling well.

“Whether he can make the step up from a good trialler to winning on debut is always very difficult but barrier one will certainly help him.

“We haven’t pushed him. He’s had a couple of preparations and was earmarked very early on as a horse with talent.”

Heathcote has a slight leaning to Ziemba over Mosshiki who has had three starts including a recent fourth to the Tony Sears-trained Raging Pole in an 1110-metre maiden at Doomben on June 9.

“Mosshiki is a son of Mossman and is a developing type but I think his best distance will be later on over 1600 metres,” Heathcote said.

“His last run was quite good and he’s heading in the right direction.”

Racing Queensland webnews   June 18