Eurocanto gives Zahra early 2YO win

Jockey Mark Zahra is usually reluctant to partner early season two-year-olds, but he makes an exception for the Lindsay Park stable. 

Zahra and Lindsay Park trainers Ben, Will and J D Hayes combined to take out the first two-year-old race of the new season in Victoria, the Listed Maribyrnong Trial (1000m) at Flemington on Saturday with Eurocanto. 

Settling back in field before edging wide over the final 200m, Eurocanto ($8) ran down Streisand ($5.50) to score by a half-head with One Day At A Time ($4) a neck away third. 

"To be honest, I usually don't like riding two-year-olds too early but when the Hayes' call, I'll pick up the phone," Zahra said. 

"They'll usually identify one that they're happy with and they want me to trial. 

"It is a good process and if I like it them, I'll stick with it. 

"That is what happened with this guy. I trialled him twice and liked him two times and he's got the job done today." 

Not everything went to plan early in the race for Zahra who was locked away on the fence at the 400m after Eurocanto was not in a good mood in the barriers. 

"It is a tough test first-up up the straight over 1000 (metres) and I like to be the last one on the scene," Zahra said. 

"He did that well. He was able to travel up behind them and showed good grit late to win." 

Eurocanto was purchased on the Gold Coast for $250,000 as a yearling. 

J D Hayes said the Lindsay Park sales team, headed by Dean Hawthorne, had picked out Eurocanto and was a yearling the stable had liked from the outset. 

"We really liked him, and we've had good success with the stallion," Hayes said. 

"He's an athletic style of horse with plenty of improvement to come and it was good to be able to kick off his career in that fashion." 

Eurocanto is by Per Incanto who sired Little Brose to win the 2023 Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes which was run at Sandown that year. 

Hayes said it was too early to tell whether Eurocanto could develop into another Little Brose, but he was impressed with how Eurocanto finished off Saturday's race. 

"It was a professional performance," Hayes said. 

"We'll see how he pulls up and it would be tempting, all systems go, to go to Cup week, but first and foremost we'll see how he is first thing in the morning."