Lightly-raced Menados (NZ) has been labelled an exciting stayer for the future by his trainer Nigel Blackiston.

The Flemington based gelding also helped Zabeel pass another milestone on the weekend.  The Cambridge Stud legend has now sired 960 winners of 3201 races at a 73% strike rate.

Menados (4g Zabeel – Tantamount by Last Tycoon) won the $100,000 Provincial Plate (1630m) at Flemington on Saturday at just his sixth start.  He started out with a two-timer at Echuca and Seymour earlier this season and then returned from a 32 week spell to score at Sale before breaking through at headquarters.

“He’s got a lot of raw talent and is a typical Zabeel,” Blackiston said.  “Nurtured the right way, I think he will come good.  We could have big plans for him in the next twelve months.”

Menados will target the Winter Championship Final at Flemington in a fortnight and then come back for the spring carnival.

Bred by Richard Moore, he was passed-in at the 2009 NZ Bloodstock Premier yearling sale by Soliloquy Lodge.  “Ian Lewis sent Menados across from New Zealand,” Blackiston said.  “Ian has raced some top-class NZ bred stayers like Shiva’s Revenge and Lord Luskin so hopefully this bloke goes all the way, too.”

Menados is the third winner for Tantamount who won 6 races up to a mile in NZ.  She was also G2 placed at Pukekohe.  The mare has a filly foal by Iffraaj.