Fresh off a superb ride at Doncaster on Saturday to win the Betfred St Leger on Aidan O’Brien’s Jan Brueghel, jockey Sean Levey enjoyed a much easier commission when he partnered the Barnane Stud-bred Lope De Vega filly Zip It Ip to an armchair debut victory at Kempton on Monday for a partnership of the Kieswetter family’s County Tipperary nursery and Durban-based Owen Heffer.
It’s been a remarkable few weeks for South African connections in both the USA and the UK, and Zip It Up’s facile end-to-end victory in the 1200m Unibet Support Safe Gambling Novice Stakes on the all weather when comprehensively accounting for the experienced 10-11 favourite Mahato, already a winner, spoke of great promise.
Zip It Up winning under Sean Levey on debut (Pic – Supplied)
Jumping from her pole position gate, the Richard Hannon-trained Zip It Up was full value for her 13-2 starting price and never relented as she drew away from her ten opponents to win easing up by 7,50 lengths.
“This is a lovely win, and even more so when a plan comes together nicely as she was a filly that needed plenty of time at the beginning, and this is just reward for the teams patience. Connor Hoban (who breaks in and pre-trains all the Barnane Stud horses to go into training) prepped her perfectly and encouraged us to be patient with her before sending her to Richard Hannon. Her impressive first run is certainly a testament to him and his team seeing as she was only at the Hannon Yard for two months before making her debut. One knows when they win first up with Richard, that they are often quite nice. She is bred to go further so this is really a pleasant surprise,” Barnane Stud Manager Patrick Wynn-Jones told the Sporting Post on Monday evening.
Zip It Up had the Hannon team smiling after her smooth victory (Pic – Hannon Racing)
A daughter of the international class Shamardal stallion Lope De Vega, whose 2024 fee is €125 000, Barnane Stud bred the impressive winner from the Oasis Dream mare, Button Down.
“The dam is due to foal down Southern Hemisphere time to Coolmore’s No Nay Never stallion Ten Sovereigns. She hails from a very good old Juddmonte family and we are really thrilled. Zip It Up is likely to run again this year – but Richard Hannon and the team will discuss future plans,” added the ex-amateur jockey now avid golfer from Tipperary.
Zip It Up’s trainer Richard Hannon (Pic – Supplied)
It’s been a memorable run of success over recent weeks for the Kieswetter and Heffer families.
A week ago and just days after celebrating a big victory at Monmouth Park in New Jersey as breeders of the progressive Sea The Stars daughter Maman Joon, who won the Listed Violet Strakes, the Kieswetter family’s Barnane Stud teamed up with Owen Heffer as owners of the Night Of Thunder filly Greatest Drama to win Gowran Park’s Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden run over 1400m.
In the same week, the Heffer’s Hollywood Syndicate celebrated a maiden victory on US soil when the SAF-bred Breeders’ Cup Turf prospect Isivunguvungu won the 17th renewal of the $150 000 Da Hoss Stakes at Colonial Downs in Virginia.
