Zouflu leaves it late to charge down Vascotto at Bathurst's Tyers Park meeting

Ciaron Maher and David Eustace's mare Zouflu ($2.20) timed her run to perfection under the guidance of Brodie Loy to take out the JB Civil Concreting F&M Maiden Handicap (1,200 metres) by a neck over Gayna Williams' Vascotto ($6.60, Anthony Cavallo).

After scratching their runners Hauraki Gulf and Own The Night from the opening race of the meeting Zouflu was the sole hope for Maher and Eustance at Tyers Park, and she didn't disappoint.

Bathurst trainer Williams looked to have found a win with Vascotto inside the closing 100 metres but Zouflu found the line well to score her first career win at start number six.

Zouflu was among a four-strong group of runners who all came charging out of the barriers in search of the early lead in Monday's race.

It was two of the Bathurst-trained runners in the event, Vascotto and Dean Mirfin's well-backed Neon Moon ($6, Jackson Searle), who ended up leading the way.

Zouflu dropped back two lengths off that leading pair in to fourth, sitting just to the outside of Summer Promise ($4.20, Mathew Cahill).

Another two lengths separated them from Zattastar ($7.50, Alysha Collett) at the 800m.

Searle had to start working a little harder on Neon Moon inside the 400m but Cavallo was looking calm on board Vascotto on the turn for home and worked past Mirfin's grey.

Cavallo then asked his mare to kick things up a gear down the straight as Zouflu loomed on her outside.

Neon Moon drifted out of the picture along the rail but Summer Promise worked between her and Vascotto to make her presence known towards the front of the field.

Zattastar was out widest and was giving up several lengths to the leading quartet with 300m to run, although she was starting to wind up well.

Wanda Ings' long shot duo of Puja and Bally Brook, plus William Freedman's Kiss Her, had too much ground left to make up - leaving five horses in the mix for the win.

Vascotto responded well to the danger of Zouflu down her outside but there was only so long that she could keep the classy favourite at bay.

Summer Promise finished a length away from Vascotto in third while Zattastar was another length back in fourth.

Punters had nearly sent out Zouflu as an odds-on favourite given the quality of racing she had been involved in before her trip out to Bathurst.

She finished seventh on debut behind Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes champion September Run and came to Bathurst on the back of a tough seventh at Kensington.

This was her first look at the Bathurst venue and the mare appeared to look comfortable in her third look at a soft track.

Vascotto still impressed for Williams in her first start for the Bathurst trainer after coming over from the Clare Cunningham stable.

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