Day in the sun for Zambezi as Rosario Baron provides top-level victory in the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris

Coolagown Stud's Zambezi Sun was provided with his first Grade 1 winner when Rosario Baron ran out a brave winner of the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris at Auteuil on Sunday. 

The Jean-Yves Baron-bred gelding was already a high-class and consistent performer for his sire, with victories in the Grade 3 Prix Troytown and Listed Prix du Mont-Dore on his last two starts. 

He is out of the winning Daliapour mare Early La Hutte, making him a half-brother to two winners. Their dam has a Konig Turf four-year-old colt named Kaiser Baron and a three-year-old colt called French Baron, by Gentlewave. 

It was a big result for Zambezi Sun, a Juddmonte-bred son of Dansili who was unraced at two but went on to land the Grand Prix de Paris at three for Pascal Bary. He also struck in the Prix Foy at four before moving stateside to Bobby Frankel, for whom he did not win for.

Rosario Baron and Johnny Charron after the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris

He retired to Haras de la Hetraie in 2010 for an opening fee of €4,000 and stood there for the next four seasons before transferring to Haras de la Barbottiere for his sole season in 2016. 

He has stood at Coolagown ever since, standing this year for €2,000. He is best known on British and Irish shores for siring the high-class chase mare Zambella, although he is also responsible for the Graded-placed pair of Desir Du Large and Bulkov.

Out of the Zafonic mare Imbabala, a half-sister to French Group winner Short Pause and stakes scorer Cheyenne Dream - Zambezi Sun is a full-brother to black type winners and performers Zero Gravity and Shared Account, the latter the dam of Pocket Square, Yesyes and Sand Share - as well as a half-sibling to Prix Guillaume d'Ornano victor Kalabar and Prix Eugene Adam second World Heritage. 

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