When the six-year-old Zarem overwhelmed his rivals in the Group 3 Echuca Trotters Cup, he provided Junortoun horsewoman Carla Innes-Goodridge with her first Cup winner as a trainer.
“It was a huge thrill,” Carla said.
“It’s great to win any race, but winning a Cup is special.”
Starting from a 10m handicap, Zarem settled down in third position before being given more rein by Ellen Tormey in the back straight. He finished resolutely to cut down Get Lucky and Moreton Bay in the last few strides.
“He just likes to be covered up in his races. Ellen deserves a lot of credit as she always looks after him,” Carla, the daughter of the late Kevin ‘Boofa’ Innes, said.
Bought for $9,000 at the Australasian Premier Trotting Sale in 2017, Zarem has banked $120,930 from 10 wins and 27 placings in 77 starts.
The Wishing Stone gelding began his career with Gippsland trainer Michael Hughes before being transferred to Innes-Goodridge as a late three-year-old.
“When I got him he had a few quirks but he’s always had ability. He’s got stronger and more confident as he’s got older,” she said.
“He’s very quick on his feet.”
Zarem’s next assignment is likely to be the Group 2 $30,000 Aldebaran Park Bendigo Trotters Cup on April 8.
The gelding was bred by Paul Graydon out of the successful Keystone Salute mare Broadacrossthebeam, the dam also of recent Cranbourne winner Copacabana.
Zarem completed a double for APTS sale graduates at the Echuca Cup meeting with Marengo Bay winning earlier in the night.
Aldebaran Sundown, a product of the same sale as that which produced Zarem, won his third race at Pinjarra last Monday.
