Ziggy Willie's Evening Star

Supporting a 60kg top weight and facing a tough task from barrier 9 did little to stop the crusading Ziggy Willie at Canterbury Park on Friday evening when triumphing in the highlight of the ATC's second night meeting, the Tooheys New Evening Star over 1250m.

A glowing specimen when parading before the seventh event, Ziggy Willie had benefitted from a short stint in Queensland where he was a winner at Eagle Farm over 1200m, before returning to Pfieffer’s Warwick Farm base and running a gallant third at Canterbury on October 21.

The partnership between Pfieffer and Ziggy has, on paper at least, been hugely successful with two wins and four placings from eight starts for the stable. Yet Pfieffer was hesitant to praise the gelding’s temperament when questioned by Sky Racing’s Richard Haynes before the race.

“Is he straightforward to train?” prompted Haynes.

“Well...he’s an older horse now and that makes a difference, he knows his routine well enough” admitted the trainer.

Both Haynes and fellow tipster Priscilla Schmidt had Ziggy Willie as their top pick as the “class horse of the race”, even as an $8 chance before the jump.

The tipsters would soon have little reason to doubt the son of Cheval De Troy as his rider Tye Angland spurred to an ideal trail one off the fence and ready to pounce, easily settled passing the 1000 metre-mark despite having slightly missed the kick.

Coasting around the turn to be three wide once straightening up, Ziggy Willie responded strongly under heavy riding to be striding clear over the concluding stages and holding off race favourite Hanwritten with Crossroad a further length away in third.

“It’s always good to get a winner and that was a good ride by Angland. We were all confident coming to the turn after he had such a perfect run in transit” said Pfieffer post race.

Angland added praise for the gelding's efforts, and was evidently pleased with his own steer when punching the air with his fist passing the post.

"He was a bit slow to begin but the right path opened up in front of us and we were able to get a perfect trail in the run, which no doubt gave him his finishing burst" added the jockey.

Ziggy has been a model of consistency for connections with 17 placings from 25 starts a testament to his fighting spirit. Rarely out of the first three, ‘Ziggy’ has “certainly been no superstar” but what the horse lacks in stakes-level talent he makes up for in racing spirit.

“He has form behind Happy Clapper, Danish Twist, Montaigne and Handfast, all stakes horses, so he certainly isn’t beating around the bush.

“Oliver Koolman, manager of Hermitage (the owners of Ziggy Willie) have a great racehorse on their hands, and he has and continues to be a wonderful earner for them” said Pfieffer.

“I’m glad I can reward such a loyal client with a win in town on a good night’s racing”.