Trainer Fabian Habib’s progressive 3yo Zeus maintained his unbeaten four-from-four record at Turffontein on Saturday and is set to clash with Mike de Kock’s rising star Safe Passage in the R1,5 million Gr1 WSB SA Classic in early March.
A smashing son of Silvano, Safe Passage attracted the accolades and plaudits after his fluent success – his fifth on the bounce – in the Gr2 WSB Gauteng Guineas just over a week ago.
Talk of freakish heart rates and excited anticipation by champion conditioner Mike de Kock of the day when Safe Passage goes further have not scared off Zeus’ connections, who have indicated that the plan is to expose their colt for the first time at feature level in the 1800m SA Classic.
Gavin Lerena drives Zeus to hos fourth victory on Saturday (Pic – JC Photos)
The Vaal-based Fabian Habib is definitely not a man given to excited oversell, hype or talk of telephone numbers, and he told the Sporting Post on Sunday that Classic day on 5 March was the likely next stop on the Zeus agenda.
The son of Soft Falling Rain looks half special and has won all four of his starts – all under Gavin Lerena – from 1400m to 1800m, and impressed when winning the MR 95 Handicap for three-year-olds run over 1800m on the Turffontein Inside track on Saturday.
Zeus hails from a family close to Fabian’s heart as his Elusive Fort half brother Out Of Your League was the young conditioner’s maiden Gr1 winner when scoring at double digit odds in the 2020 SA Derby.
Raymond Danielson steers Out Of Your League to a massive victory in the 2020 Gr1 SA Derby (Pic – JC Photos)
Bred by longstanding Wilgerbosdrift Manager Wynand Nel out of the Windrush mare, Lil’ Bacio, who never raced, Zeus was a bargain R70 000 ticket at the National 2yo Sale.
Lil’ Bacio was originally purchased from Dr Marianne Thomson and also produced the multiple winner, Paybackthemoney (Marchfield).
Read more about Windrush daughter Lil’ Bacio here
It’s a happy story of going back to the well, that has paid dividends for Habib and his loyal band of owners.
“We feel Zeus is ready to tackle stronger now and the plan is to go for the Classic,” confirming that his charge was ‘an easy fellow to work with’.
“He is not a complicated horse and does things correctly – as good horses tend to do!”
Fabian has made giant strides in his 17 years in racing and while his Dad Joe and brothers Teddy and Joe Junior raced horses, he had no interest in racing to begin with.
Tabnews reports that he was at Chefs School for ten months until his Dad suffered a stroke and lost his speech. That would require hours of rehabilitation, doctors’ appointments and physiotherapy, all of which Fabian and mother Hakla spent at his father’s side.
One day fate intervened. He accompanied his Dad on a visit to Dom Zaki’s stable at Walkerville Fruit Farm and the young young Fabian fell in love with the horse.
“I got goosebumps touching, rubbing and interacting with the horses. My Dad told me that day I was not meant to be a chef but to train horses, and he made me make a promise.”
Joe Senior, who had horses in training with Zaki, arranged that Fabian would join the yard as a stable employee. That was the start of greater things to come.
Fabian was born on 9 September 1984, and grew up on the East Rand in Germiston and Boksburg.
Habib is grateful for the support of his family and his in-laws.
“Zack and Amal Nassif are my wife Madonna’s parents and mine through marriage, but they’re an inspiration to me and probably my biggest influence. They’ve always encouraged me to follow my dreams!”
Team Zeus after Saturday’s win (Pic – JC Photos)
Brothers-in-law George and Jonathan Nassif play an active role too. “They’re brothers to me, we’re all very close. Jonathan is the stable’s Racing Manager and Sebastian, who runs tomorrow, runs in his colour
The father of two lovely daughters went on his own in the 2018/19 season and modestly confirms that Zeus is the best he has been privileged to train, ‘so far’.
Entries for the SA Classic, the second leg of the SA Triple Crown, are due by 11h00 on Monday 21 February.
Now just imagine if Justin Snaith hits the road and brings his WSB Cape Guineas winner Double Superlative up to take on the Gauteng big guns!
