South-west breeders Trevor and Terrie Delroy have been very patient with promising stayer Zakouma but they know the drill after dealing successfully with his family going back three-generations to British-bred mare Shana (Darshaan).

Zakouma was one of the better winners at Caulfield on Wednesday with a powerful last-to-first victory in the Thoroughbred Club of Australia Hcp (1600m).  The race couldn’t have played out better for jockey Jordan Childs after he elected to tail the field well adrift off free-wheeling leader Ballistic Blue (Blue Point).

The Graheme Begg-trained 5yo gelding was opening his second racing campaign following an initial prep that included a Geelong 1700m Maiden win in June last year.  “He won first-up last time and replicated that today,” assistant trainer Rohan Hughes said.  “He was a bit keen back then but can come off the bridle and round up a field now.

“It was good test over the mile.  They rolled along and Zacouma will be getting out to longer distances for Trevor and Terrie.  We’ve prepared a few winners for them and he’s by their sire Crowded House (Rainbow Quest) out of Dar Es Salaam (Zabeel).

The Delroys own Wyadup Valley Farm near Yallingup and their Pale Blue, Green Hoops & Cap colours adorn a Group 1 gallery that’s dominated by long-distance feature winners.  They’ve bred and/or owned Group 1 classic winners the calibre of Helenus (Victoria Derby, Caulfield Guineas, Rosehill Guineas), Ethiopia (ATC Australian Derby), Cedarberg (ATC The BMW), Gondokoro (Queensland Oaks) and Zabeelionaire (SA Derby).

Zakouma’s dam Dar Es Salaam (NZ) is a younger full-sister to Gondokoro (Zabeel) and Zabeelionaire (Zabeel).  Second-dam Kisumu (Carnegie) won a Sale maiden and earned Group 2 black-type when runner-up to Miss Finland (Redoute’s Choice) in the 2007 MRC Angus Armanasco Stakes (1600m).

Kisumu was one of four winners from third-dam Shana and her residual value improved by multipules after her first foal happened to be Zabeelionaire.  Shaana was bred in Newmarket by Kirsten Rausing and owned a Derby-dominant sireline through her sire Darshaan (GB) in the 1984 Prix du Jockey Club.  The top-line comprised earlier classic winners Shirley Heights (GB) in the 1978 England Derby and Mill Reef (USA) in the 1971 England Derby.