No one could deny Zipping his moment on the sun when the eight-year-old landed his first Group 1 title in the $1m Darley Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday.
The win came at his 15th start in a Group 1 race and stamped the dual Tatts Cox Plate placegetter as one of the bravest and most durable gallopers of his era.
After sitting three wide throughout, the veteran hit the lead 200-metres from home, but was then collared by 2008 Cup winner Sirmione who looked set to give Bart Cummings his 14th Australian Cup.
But Zipping ($6) dug deep under hard riding from young gun Nick Hall and showed enormous heart to fight back and claim Sirmione ($7.50) by the narrowest of margins.
Cummings provided both minor placegetters with comeback galloper Moatize ($31) finishing hard from the rear to grab third in a photo with favourite Heart Of Dreams ($5).
The win provided trainer Robert Hickmott with his first Group 1 success and owner Lloyd Williams with another feature race triumph at Flemington where he's won Melbourne Cups and Victoria Derbies.
“It's very difficult to beat Bart at the best of times and it shows you how good he is. This horse is in career best form and we've beaten him by an inch,” stable spokesman Nick Williams said.
“He's a tough horse, I thought Sirmione had him, in fact I was sure Sirmione had him, but he wouldn't get beaten. It's terrific for all the team up there at Macedon.”
Nick Williams said the win was much deserved and would prove incredibly popular amongst the 50-60 staff who work at Macedon Lodge, his father's private training centre.
“In our business he's a horse that means so much to us. We've had some great old horses over time, the likes of Gallic, but this horse has raced with us since his first start as a two-year-old.
“He's just been terrific for us and it's so great for our team.”
Hall, who claimed his fourth Group 1 trophy of the season, said Lloyd Williams had given him free rein when it came to riding instructions, although he admits it wasn't a picture perfect ride.
“He said it's probably the only horse in the stable I'll allow you to ride bad and that's exactly what I did,” the young jockey said.
“I didn't look like there was going to be much natural speed, it turned out that way, he got trapped wide, but with the lack of speed I didn't want him going right back to last.
“Credit to the stable, credit to the horse, he toughed it out well.”
Zipping is now likely to pursue a second Group 1 north of the border in Sydney with next month's The BMW (2400m) earmarked as a likely target by Nick Williams.
“Dad doesn't like travelling too far, but I think we might be able to talk him into getting up there,” he said.