Hot Zed Defies Doubters-Again

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Thoroughbred

As a Hall Of Fame trainer and holding many of WA’s biggest races, Lou Luciani quite often has the last laugh as a trainer.

You don’t often win the challenge against someone of Luciani’s ilk, he is without peer when it comes to training thoroughbreds.

But even after years of experience and building an elite reputation of skill and talent, Luciani can’t understand why Hot Zed goes around at juicy prices.

The six-year-old is a multiple black-type winner, has close to a million dollars in the bank and although no superstar you know he has a given trait of not giving up.

He showed that again in the Group 3 Colonel Reeves Stakes (1100m) when he kept finding and kept giving after getting trapped wide for the majority of the race.

Sent out at $14, Hot Zed, urged on by jockey, Jason Whiting, defeated Ghost Who Walks by a short-neck with Nerodio filling third position.

After Listed wins in the Carbine Club Stakes (1400m), Scenic Blast Stakes (1200m) and Pinjarra Classic (1300m), Hot Zed reached a career peak in the Colonel Reeves Stakes.

In a cheeky quip post-race, Luciani said punters will keep coming off second best if they continue to underestimate Hot Zed, a winner of 11 races in 36 starts.

“He’s had eleven wins and I think eight of them have been at 14 to 1, that’s his favourite price,” Luciani said.

“Obviously the modern day form analysts and form guide guys must think two blokes like Ross Price and I are too old to keep training winners.

“They keep putting our horses at 14s and 20s, but that’s ok, we’ll keep bringing horses to the races and kicking ass.”

Luciani said race tactics didn’t play out for Hot Zed as planned, but with Jason Whiting rating the horse he was never concerned.

“As much as you don’t want them three deep without cover he just likes that room,” Luciani said.

“We were hoping to be three deep with cover, but Fishy (Whiting) is probably as good a rider as I’ve ever seen riding one that gets caught facing the breeze.”

Hot Zed ran a cracking fourth to Paule in last year’s Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m).

When asked if Hot Zed could win’s Perth’s main sprint 12-months further on, Luciani held no doubts.

“I can’t see why not,” Luciani said.

Luciani’s reference to Ross Price came after the veteran Bunbury horseman prepared Amber Glide to win the Listed Jungle Mist Classic (1200m).

Ridden By Joe Azzopardi, the four-year-old powered home with a big sprint to record her fifth straight win in impressive style.

Julio Santarelli