Sunday, 23 February 2025 will be remembered as the day The FRAC Club’s vision turned into reality. At Pukekohe Park, our Almanzor filly ZORMELLA stormed home to give The FRAC Club its first-ever race-day victory — and she did it in style, at just her second start.
THIS WASN'T JUST A WIN - IT WAS A STATEMENT
This was more than a win. It was validation. Every ounce of work behind the scenes — our data-driven approach, performance ratings, and pedigree analysis — was proven right. We identified ZORMELLA as a filly with class, scope, and acceleration, and on the big stage she delivered exactly what the numbers and bloodlines told us she would.
The race itself could not have been scripted better. In the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series Maiden (1400m), ZORMELLA overcame a slow beginning, settled midfield, and unleashed her sprint at the 300m mark. Jockey George Rooke kept his cool and timed it to perfection, driving her to the line in 1:23.85, with a dazzling 33.43 last 600m. Trainers Roger James & Robert Wellwood were justifiably thrilled, describing her as a filly who had shown them a lot at home and with all the right ingredients to progress further.
A Historic First
The wider racing world noticed too. Trackside NZ named her “Maiden Winner of the Week.” The NZ Herald hailed her as “a high-class filly who won her maiden in style at Pukekohe.” Loveracing captured it perfectly: “Raced away at the 300 — 1:23.85 overall, 33.43 home.”
For The FRAC Club, this was the moment our hard work behind the scenes started an Old Gold movement on the race-track. Owners shoulder-to-shoulder in the birdcage roared as ZORMELLA passed the finish line winning with some in hand. It was our second race-day start, and already the dream was real: fun, fanfare, and fraternity. ZORMELLA’s win wasn’t just hers; it belonged to every FRAC owner.
ZORMELLA — you beauty. The first of many, and the start of a golden chapter for The FRAC Club.
Moments like this define who we are. From day one, The FRAC Club has promised a new model of ownership — innovative, inclusive, and filled with passionate owners; it is built on analysis as much as passion. With ZORMELLA’s win, we proved that the approach works. And in doing so, we solidified the Old Gold as the new kid on the block — bold, exciting, and here to innovate the game.
