Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes |
||
| Group 1, Curragh 15:50 €400,000 guaranteed, 2yo, 7f, Class 1  |
||
|
||
1 Zavateri 15/2
2
Gstaad 10/11F
3 Italy 7/2
6 ran Distances: hd, 2½l, 5½l
Time: 1m 26.73s (slow by 3.63s)
A head bob in the National Stakes! 💪
— Sporting Life Racing (@SportingLife) September 14, 2025
ZAVATERI gets him head down at just the right time to land the Group 1 for @johnsonhoughton! 🏆pic.twitter.com/U20TAT2eKh
Zavateri delivered a performance of raw courage and class to reward Eve Johnson Houghton’s bold decision, snatching a thrilling verdict.
Unbeaten in three, including back-to-back Group Two triumphs in the July Stakes at Newmarket and the Vintage at Goodwood, the Without Parole colt was sent off at 15-2—venturing deep into Aidan O’Brien’s fortress. The Ballydoyle battalions were spearheaded by Coventry winner Gstaad, 10-11 favourite and chasing a 13th victory in the race for his trainer after only a narrow Morny reversal to Venetian Sun.
As they straightened for home, the noise rose. The pair locked horns inside the final furlong, Zavateri looming large on the outside, Gstaad digging deep on the rail. For a moment, Zavateri looked set to surge clear, but Gstaad rallied under Christophe Soumillon, forcing Charlie Bishop to extract every ounce from Johnson Houghton’s colt.
The line came almost too soon for the eye to split them. After a heartbeat’s pause, the judge’s board flashed: Zavateri by a head. A stewards’ inquiry—sparked by some late scrimmaging—was swiftly dismissed, confirming a famous win.
Johnson Houghton beamed: “He is so straightforward and is such a dude of a horse – I don’t train him, he trains me!
“This race just sat right because it was a long way from Goodwood to the Dewhurst. We wanted to find a spot in between and I didn’t want to go to the Champagne (at Doncaster) and carry another penalty.
“He’s already won a Group Two with a penalty. It’s a Group One and we are coming into Aidan’s backyard, but it was the right spot time-wise for him.
“He’s come from a long way back on sticky ground, and they have not been finishing from a long way back today. That was pretty impressive, I’d say, and Charlie has given him a beautiful ride.”
Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes (Group 1)
€400,000 guaranteed, 2yo only, 7f
6 ran
Going: Yielding
1 (1) Zavateri 2 9-5 Eve Johnson Houghton Charles Bishop 15/2
2 (5) hd Gstaad 2 9-5 A P O'Brien Christophe Soumillon 10/11F
3 (6) 2½ Italy 2 9-5 A P O'Brien Ronan Whelan 7/2
4 (4) 5½ Dorset 2 9-5 A P O'Brien Gavin Ryan 22/1
5 (3) 2½ North Coast 5 2 9-5 Joseph O'Brien Dylan Browne McMonagle 14/1
6 (2) 2½ Saba Desert 2 9-5 Charlie Appleby William Buick 6/1
