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Happy Zero's grinding win points to brief rest

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Even a shock power failure at Sydney's Inglis Easter sale yesterday couldn't prevent John Moore from a live telecast as Happy Zero was back to being a hero in the Guildford Handicap (1,400m).

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'They still had 30 lots to sell when the sale ring and the main building were plunged into darkness,' said Moore, one of a number of trainers absent in Sydney.

'But there was still power in some areas of the complex so I was able to see the telecast of the races, including Happy Zero's win, in John Messara's Arrowfield Stud marquee.'

And, while the Danzero gelding atoned for his unplaced defeat at long odds-on last time out to make it five wins from six starts, there were plenty of nervous moments for the punters who went back into the short odds again. After looking to be cruising to victory at the 300m when he collared the leader, Iron Fist, Happy Zero (Darren Beadman) suddenly had a battle on his hands to get past the lightweight and scrambled home by only a neck margin.

'He showed me signs of having had enough for the moment last time when he overraced so badly with me,' said jockey Darren Beadman.

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'Now John had freshened him up again and the crossed nose band fixed the problem with overracing, along with the stronger pace today, but he has had to pull out all the stops to get past Iron Fist and it just feels like a break would do him good.

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