Blacker’s winning belief in Zatacla
TRAINER John Blacker says his talented sprinter- miler Zatacla is poised to notch a firstup win in Launceston on Wednesday night.
Zatacla has been twice to the trials this preparation and Blacker believes he has found the right race for the gelding, the Riverside News & Lotto Benchmark 86 handicap over 1420m.
“I couldn’t be happier with how Zatacla has trialled and this race looks ideal,” Blacker said. “He races well at Mowbray and he isn’t overburdened at the weights. From a decent barrier he should get a gun run he should be too strong for them over this trip.”
Zatacla is one of Blacker’s most consistent gallopers having won nine and been placed 20 time as from 52 starts for close to $ 420,000 in stakes.
Blacker will saddle up his Hobart Cup placegetter from last season, Glass Warrior, in the same race, but he says this race is more of a conditioning outing for her.
“I’d like to see Glass Warrior working home nicely at the end of the race, but stayers can often sprint well fresh and she could sneak a place.”
Blacker also expects his promising three- year- old filly Mariposa to break her maiden status in the opening race on the eight- event card.
Mariposa was run down in the last few strides in a maiden ( 1400m) last Wednesday night, but the trainer says she has thrived since that outing.
“Mariposa pulled up well from last week’s race and that run has really brought her on.
“From a good barrier she should get the run of the race and this race is no harder than last week.”
Blacker also has Moshama, French Heiress and Wild Destiny in the race but says Mariposa is the best of his four chances. His Tasmania Derby placegetter Argyle Beach resumes in a benchmark 66 Handicap over 1220m, in which he will lug a huge weight of 61.5kg that is likely to prove too big an impost.
Longford trainer Aiden Nunn has a good chance of netting his first winner since returning from a jaunt around the country playing polo.
He saddles up Readily Rewarded that accompanied him on the tour along the Eastern seaboard and she had two starts for a minor placing at Ipswich and a luckless fifth at Eagle Farm over 1600m.
“I am very happy with Readily Rewarded’s condition going into this race and from barrier one I would be very surprised if she didn’t figure at the business end of the race,” Nunn said.
It is an eight race program with the first at 6.15pm.