Military Zone too strong in G3 Hawkesbury Guineas

Son of Epaulette holds of all comers to score second Stakes win

A turn of foot matched by strong determination earned Military Zone his second Stakes win and confirmed his place among the growing list of successes for his sire Epaulette in Saturday’s G3 Hawkesbury Guineas.

Already the winner of the Listed Gosford Guineas in his previous preparation, Military Zone is one of Epaulette’s six Stakes winners and becomes his fourth Group winner from his first crop. A crop that is headed by the South African G1 winner Soqrat.

His Hawkesbury effort was Military Zone’s best from his eight runs, requiring him to work in the middle stages, sprint approaching the 300m and then dig deep to hold off the runner-up Trope.

Military Zone is out of the Street Sense mare Loading Zone whose dam Pause produced seven winners from nine to race, including the Stakes winners Super Lacuna and Hesitates.

Epaulette, the winner of the G1 Golden Rose and the G1 Doomben 10,000, will stand the 2019 breeding season at Kelvinside, NSW, at a fee of A$27,500, including GST.