Pillar-to-post for Zarinsk

Three-year-old homebred Zarinsk dominated the Gr.3 Cornelscourt Stakes at Leopardstown on Sunday to take her first Group-level win.

Taken from the Thoroughbred Daily News, 8th May 2023, by Tom Frary:

Providing a boost to Never Ending Story, who she trailed when third in the Gr.3 Priory Belle 1000 Guineas Trial Stakes, Zarinsk returned to Leopardstown to dominate Sunday's Gr.3 Cornelscourt Stakes. Able to dictate on the front end with Colin Keane eager to make this a true test, the 11-2 shot who was successful in the Listed Ingabelle Stakes on this track's Irish Champions Day undercard in September kept finding to record a one and a quarter-length success from the eye-catching Aga Khan homebred Tarawa.

Zarinsk, who had Ballydoyle's Never Ending Story behind when making all on debut at The Curragh last May, was behind her when fourth in this venue's Gr.3 Silver Flash Stakes in July having also been fourth in the Gr.3 Airlie Stud Stakes in the interim back at The Curragh. On both those starts, very little went right for the homebred but the switch back to aggressive tactics paid off in the Ingabelle and Keane may have disappointed her when trying restraint for the first part of her comeback over seven here.

"She's honest and is surprisingly light compared to what she looks like," Ger Lyons said. "I don't think ground is any issue to her. That ground is horrible, good ground would be no problem to her. It's pure heart that keeps her doing that. It's been all about blacktype for her and we'll go Group 2 with the hope that she matures into a horse for here on Champions Weekend. As Colin says, if she is going to be at the very top table it might be over in America."