Zabeel stayer Oracy (NZ) returned a winner in the G3 London News Stakes (1800m) at Turffontein on Sunday.  The Charles Laird trained gelding defeated Captain Scott and his Aussie bred stablemate Dan De Lago (Encosta de Lago).

Oracy had won five straight, including the G2 Dingaans and Gauteng Guineas, before losing his unbeaten record when unplaced in the G1 Summer Cup on November 28.

The Kiwi bred gelding shadowed front-runner Fenerbahce with Dan De Lago tracking his stablemate at Turffontein.  Oracy and Piere Strydom took over in the straight and they kept kicking to score by just over a length.

Oracy and Dan De Lago are both entered for the Group 1 J&B Met.  Laird said Oracy had a clear fitness edge on Sunday while Dan De Lago would come on plenty for the run.

Oracy (4c Zabeel – Lady Dehere by Dehere) is prepared by Laird for Marcus Jooste and was a $400,000 buy out of the Cambridge Stud draft at the 2007 NZ Bloodstock Karaka yearling sale.

Bred by Sir Patrick and Lady Hogan, Oracy is from G2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes winner Lady Dehere.  She is a half-sister to Mungrup Stud sire Oratorio (Stravinsky) who is making a huge impact in WA with his first crop three year-olds.  Oracy’s second dam Hold That Smith (Haulpak) was WA’s Horse of the Year in 1988-89.