Coolmore Stud sire Zoffany (Ire) has posted his first Australian winner with Persistent Shadow scoring a dominant victory as favourite in the Drought Relief Maiden (1050m) at Mackay.

Persistent Shadow (2f Zoffany – Green Mirage by Green Desert) was a close third on debut at Rockhampton last week and gave her rivals a four-length galloping lesson on Thursday.

Soweto (Aus) had opened Zoffany’s southern-hemisphere account in South Africa on Wednesday.

Persistent Shadow is trained by Peter Fleming and was a modest $4,000 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale purchase from Mane Lodge.  She is the fourth winner from a grand-daughter of French Group 1 winner Loving Claim.

The current yearling from Green Mirage, a colt by Zoffany, was much admired at the Gold Coast Magic Millions earlier this month fetching $300,000 when secured by Jadeskye Racing and Gerald Ryan.

Zoffany (Dansili) sired 33 first crop winners in Europe last year including five stakes-winners to be Champion First Season Sire.  Two of his European stakes-winners Illuminate and Washington D.C are from Green Desert line mares, which might be something worth noting for the future.

His burgeoning results in Europe last year sparked considerable interest in Zoffany from Australian breeders and he covered 213 mares in Australia last spring.