By ROY ASPINALL
VICTORY for Tanby in Saturday’s $351,000 group 2 weight-for-age Deadly Designs Zipping Classic (2400 metres) on the Sandown Hillside track provided a perfect end to the Spring Carnival for leading owner Lloyd Williams.
The Macedon Lodge stable had already won the Emirates Melbourne Cup with Green Moon and now Tanby has provided Williams with his sixth win in the Deadly Designs Zipping Classic in the past 10 years.
Legible won in 2003 and Zipping was successful 2007-10. Then known as the Sandown Classic, the race name was changed last year to honour the four successive wins by Zipping.
Now enjoying retirement at Macedon Lodge, Zipping returned to Sandown on Saturday to lead out the field.
Tanby, ridden patiently by Nick Hall — son of former great jockey Greg Hall, settled back in the field and came with a powerful run to hit the front 250m out. Tanby won by ¾ length from Exceptionally with veteran performer Precedence 1¾ lengths further back third. Hall also rode Zipping in his 2010 win.
Being aimed at the Sydney Cup is international visitor Ibicenco, after his win in the $150,000 Listed Sportingbet Sandown Cup (3200m). The German-bred galloper was a member of the team brought to Melbourne for the spring by champion European trainer Luca Cumani.
Ridden by Glen Boss, Ibicenco settled near the rear but was allowed to stride up from the 1400m and took control halfway up the straight before scoring by ¾ length from Reuben Percival with 1¼ lengths to Unusual Suspect third. “I thought I was on the best two-miler (3200m) in the race,” Boss said. “It was pretty painless and went to plan. Once we got to the 1000m it was all over.”
Peter Snowden maintained his affinity with the $351,000 group 2 Sportingbet Sandown Guineas (1600m) when Tatra provided Darley’s head trainer with his third win in the past five seasons.
With the stable’s No. 1 jockey Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle, Tatra was always prominent and fought on strongly to score by a long head from Lunar Rise with a short half head to stablemate Proverb (third).
“He’s no world beater but gives his best and he’s got stronger and better with each preparation,” McEvoy said.
An overseas venture is planned for Eclair Surprise, winner of the $150,750 group 3 Snowhite Maintenance Eclipse Stakes (1800m).
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