SMH 20 August 2010

There has been no greater supporter of the Zabeel breed than Melbourne's Lloyd Williams, and he seems to have struck the jackpot with a four-year-old that debuted on the Geelong synthetic track last Thursday. Resetable put up an extraordinary performance to win a 1300-metre maiden, coming from near last and seven or eight wide on straightening. Jockey Nick Hall, aware of the Robert Hickmott-trained galloper's ability, never panicked, allowing the horse to gain his composure in the straight, and he mowed down his opposition to score an exhilarating win.

Williams's son, Nick, paid $200,000 for Resetable at the 2008 Inglis Easter Sales -- he was lot 500 -- from the Stratheden Stud draft. The gelding's dam is Assertiveness, a Canterbury winner. She is by Danehill from Sommes Sound, which has produced Assertive Lad and Assertive Lass, both multiple group 1 winners. Assertive Lass was later sent to Zabeel, and produced Reset, which was unbeaten in five starts for Williams before he was sold to Darley as a stallion.

It was no surprise that when the latest Zabeel went up for sale, the Williams family were the buyers and, in true Williams tradition, the horse was given every chance to mature. In the following race at Geelong, another Williams colours-bearer, Niblick, (Encosta De Lago x Leica Vista) scored by seven lengths in a brilliant display. Niblick ran faster time, but Bloodlines was taken by Resetable's win, and reckons he'll be doing big things during the Melbourne spring carnival in some of the minor races.