Zeuss Bromac wins IRT Australia Breeders Crown Final

Last season, Zeuss Bromac was rated highly to win the Crown as a two-year-old after showing grand ability in just three New Zealand starts and deemed special enough to tackle the tough series, ultimately running into an unstoppable Be Happy Mach in finishing a close-up fourth in the final.

This year the pocket battleship by Bettor’s Delight is more the complete racehorse, certainly physically, and that told as he led all the way to cruise home in the ,000 final in a fine culmination of the 2020 series.

After a successful time of it at two off a moderate amount of starts, the colt was moved to New South Wales where majority owner Lynette Philpott lives. and youthful New Zealand-based trainer-driver Zachary Butcher handed him over following that Breeders Crown series in August 2019.

Onto Fitzpatrick he moved, and the Sydney trainer was instantly impressed. Winning first up in 1:51.9 at Menangle in a jog, the Bettor’s Delight colt went on to run third in the Group 1 New South Wales Derby in March behind Line Up and Perfect Stride before a spell and the winter build up to the Breeders Crown series in Victoria.

Mission accomplished, second at Bendigo in his opening heat, he improved further onto a slick victory coming off cover at Melton on November 14 a week out from the final, topping him off perfectly for the big night.

Kerryn Manning made no bones about it – she was heading to the front no matter what from gate one -  and despite being tested for speed early he was easily able to hold his position in front and dictate terms from there.

A wonderful result for part owners, and Breeders, Bromac Lodge. They have wound down as a breeding operation these days, though Bob’s incredible legacy continues, and will for many, many years to come.

Bred by Bob’s son Baden and daughter Lisa (Fabri), Zeta Bromac raced just nine times but won five of them for Geoff Small back in 2014, began her career in April 2014, and last raced in November 2014 before heading to the breeding barn where she left her first foal, Zeuss Bromac. A year younger Bettor’s Delight full-sister has qualified, now three, and Zeta Bromac was bred to Rock N Roll Heaven last year.

Second dam Zante Beach won 16 of 84 starts in Australia and returned to New Zealand to breed for The McArdles in 2007, leaving a host of winners including Zorro Bromac, Zach Bromac, Zion Bromac, and Savvy Bromac, alongside Zeta Bromac, of course.

The ’Bromac’ name continually pops up winning races across Australasia, even America, and Bob would have been smiling down from above on Saturday night, that trademark grin,  in giving his own tick of approval for a job very well done.