Trainer David Matts is aiming for his first win at Newcastle’s Beaumont track on Monday with a pair of siblings bred from the mare Zarhali, a Zabeel matron originally bred by Sir Patrick Hogan. Both horses, Who Loves A Harley and Venom Wolf, were born and raised at Larneuk Stud in Victoria, and are the mare’s ninth and tenth foals. Zarhali was sold by Hogan at Karaka in 2024 for $80,000.
Despite her notable pedigree, Zarhali secured just one victory in her racing career, winning a race in Canberra in 2007 under former champion jockey Mark De Monfort. Her 10th foal, Who Loves A Harley, has shown early promise, achieving his first career win at Grafton 13 days ago in just his fifth race, defeating ten rivals. Matts described the horse as “progressive,” noting that while he remains somewhat inexperienced and tends to pull during races, improvements in settling could enhance his performance. Who Loves A Harley will start from barrier 3 in Monday’s New Era Technology Class 1 Handicap over 1350 metres.
Venom Wolf, the ninth foal, is contesting his 40th start and seeks his seventh career victory. Sired by Wolf Cry, who was exported to Indonesia in 2025 to continue his stud career, Venom Wolf is characterized as a dependable and sound competitor. Matts indicated that the horse had shown consistency after addressing some behavioral quirks and expects a solid run. Venom Wolf has been drawn in barrier 8 for the Prince Of Merewether Benchmark 66 Handicap, also over 1350 metres.
In addition to the siblings, Matts will also field Lolita to commence Golden Eagle week. Lolita, a daughter of Frosted bred by Ponderosa Park in Victoria, is stepping up from a Grafton race nearly a month ago where she faced a challenging outside barrier. She now benefits from a more favorable barrier 3 in the NZB Country Boosted Benchmark 58 Handicap, contested over 1200 metres. While not regarded as a top-tier competitor, Matts highlighted her consistency and competitive nature.
Lolita’s pedigree is notable for incorporating four influential Victorian stallions as broodmare sires: Bel Esprit, Encosta De Lago, Century, and Showdown. Her lineage traces back to her fifth dam, Forego, who was mated with Showdown in 1969, producing Tontonan. Tontonan achieved multiple significant wins, including the Golden Slipper, Sires’ Produce Stakes, and major Sydney races such as the Doncaster and All Aged Stakes.
Matts and his team will be closely watching how these three horses perform at Beaumont as they seek to capitalize on pedigree and preparation to secure a milestone victory on Monday.