John Bary is more than happy with Survived’s physical condition and mental development leading up to the G1 Captain Cook Stakes at Trentham this Saturday.

Hastings based Bary has always maintained the Zed gelding to be a work in progress with further improvement to come before he reaches the full peak of his racing powers.  “He’s looking and working well and relaxing much more in his gallops,” Bary said.

“He’s really starting to get there and I believe he’s going to be better still as a late four-year-old, a five-year-old and maybe even at six.”

Survived (NZ) was a first-up winner of the G1 Makfi Stakes earlier this season but had little luck in the next two legs of the Hawke’s Bay Triple Crown before returning to score a Group 3 victory in the Tauranga Stakes.

After the Captain Cook, he will go to Ellerslie for the Zabeel Classic (2000m) on Boxing Day and that will be another test going right-handed on the big stage in front of a big crowd.  “We will take stock of things after that and work out a plan for the autumn,” Bary explained.  “If we want him to compete at 2000 metres against the best then he has to learn how to settle and I think he will with more maturity.”

Bary will also be represented by G1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Recite (NZ) at Trentham.  The Darci Brahma filly will resume in the Curraghmore Premier.

Survived (4g Zed – Liberal by Generous) is by Zabeel sire Zed who stands at Grangewilliam Stud where his 2013 fee is advertised at $4,000 (plus gst).