What a mark Aldebaran Zeus has left.
And the best chapter could be yet to come in the breeding barn for the internationally-bred seven-year-old who nobody wanted to buy as a yearling, but went on to win 23 races, including five at Group 1 level, and bank almost $600,000.
As the racing shoes come off this week and he starts the transition into stallion-mode, owner-breeder Duncan McPherson reflected on the greatest horse he’s been associated with and one who touched so many lives.
“We hope and think it’s the end of one chapter and the start of another, but he deserves this time to reflect on the amazing things he’s done as a racehorse and how it all started,” he said.
“I bought his mum (Zoia Boko) out of a paddock in Sweden and got her in foal to who we think is the best (trotting) stallion in the world, Muscle Hill, and the result was this guy, one of the fastest and best trotters we’ve seen Down Under.
“Then you throw in the fact he didn’t reach his reserve at the yearling sales and that’s why we kept him, it takes on a whole new layer.
“Once Danny and Mel (Thackeray) had done all the early work with him, we took him down to Brent (Lilley) and it only took half a lap for him to say ‘leave him here, I love him’.”
Aldebaran Zeus ran third in the Redwood, fourth in the Breeders Crown and third in the Vicbred final at two.
At three he soared, finishing second in The Holmfield, second in the Victoria Derby, won the Breeders Crown and ran third in the Vicbred final.
He added another string of wins and the Group 1 Australasian Trotting Championship at four.
“It was five when he was at his absolute best and one of the best short-course trotters we’ve ever seen Down Under,” McPherson said.
“He won the Maori Mile and Hammerhead Mile at Group 1, along with the Waikato Flying Mile (in Cambridge, NZ). He beat Just Believe in the Hammerhead and, as good as Just Believe was, he would never have beaten ‘Zeus’ in a sprint race at that time.”
But that was to serve simply as an entrée, or a door-opener for Aldebaran Zeus to deliver by far McPherson’s greatest thrill in the game.
“No just my time, but the biggest thrill my family has had in harness racing since 1958. A dream come true,” he said.
That was a ticket into the $US1mil Yonkers International Trot in New York where he ran fifth against some of the best trotters in the world.
“That’s the complete and utter highlight of my association with this great game,” McPherson said. “To share it with mates and people who were such a huge part of the horse, like Danny and Mel, Brent (Lilley) and ‘Puppet’ (Chris Alford) just made it all so special and something I’ll treasure for the rest of my life.
“I’m eternally grateful for the great job Brent did training him, especially for Yonkers, and Puppet’s drive was just outstanding.”
Although not quite the same horse since, Aldebaran Zeus has continued to be competitive in our best races, often over unsuitably long distances, since returning from that extended and draining US trip.
“He’s probably lost a bit of his gate speed as he’s got older, but he’s been consistently running home in some of the best last halves, so it’s great he’s going out so competitive. The time feels right,” McPherson said.
“The distance thing is important to talk about with him. He’s been referred to as a sprinter and a speed horse and that’s exactly what he is, so to be able to still be competitive in longer feature races has been a testimony to how good he is.
“As far as speed goes, until The Locomotive bettered his time last year, ‘Zeus’ was the fastest trotting stallion to race in Australia. He’s still second fastest.”
Another pivotal public figure in the Aldebaran Zeus story has been Shaunie Gallagher, who was one of many trackside for his last race start at Melton last Saturday night.
“There’s been no more passionate or loyal supporter and he’s been to so many of his big races, especially in Victoria and NSW,” McPherson said. “He must have called 30 times in the lead-up to Saturday checking I knew what time and where to pick him up so he didn’t miss the last start.”
McPherson said Aldebaran Zeus’ fast-finishing second to the flying Im Bobby at Melton on Saturday night “felt almost as good as win”.
“It was fantastic for all of us to see him run so well that final time,” he said.
Aldebaran Zeus will stand at McPherson’s Aldebaran Park Stud, which means a full circle return to Danny and Mel Thackeray, who run the farm.
“We’re hoping he fills the shoes of Skyvalley as the top southern hemisphere-bred stallion in Australia,” McPherson said.
“Skyvalley is coming towards the end and Aldebaran Zeus, with his breeding, racing record and beautiful nature, ticks all the boxes to carry us and trotting into the next generation.”
The opinions expressed in The Forum are those of the author and may not be attributed to or represent policies of Harness Racing Victoria, which is the state authority and owner of thetrots.com.au.
