ZAAKI PRIMED FOR REDEMPTION
AS ZAAKi aims for the consolation prize of Saturday’s Group I Mackinnon Stakes, trainer Annabel Neasham revealed how close she was to ending her star galloper’s spring campaign on the heartbreaking morning of his Cox Plate scratching.
Zaaki was the long-time Cox Plate favourite and poised to give his grand final race a mighty shake until he spiked a temperature, with Neasham fearing that was it for the spring carnival.
But a day is a long time in racing and the two-time Group winner was virtually back to normal the next day with blood tests showing it was just a 24-hour bug.
Melbourne Cup week jockey star James McDonald rode Zaaki on Tuesday and assured Neasham the former import was ready to rumble and take his place as the $2.40 Mackinnon Stakes favourite at Flemington on Saturday.
“I sort of thought on the (Cox Plate) day, we would just be tipping him out,” Neasham said.
“But by Monday his bloods were completely back to normal.
“He looks as well as I’ve ever seen him look and I’m hopeful that he is going to bounce back and run a big race on Saturday.”
Sydney-based Neasham has been “back on the tools’’ this week, mucking out boxes and riding the slow work of some of her horses in Melbourne.
She has ridden Mo’unga — her second Mackinnon Stakes seed — and said all signs are he could produce a peak performance in the Mackinnon.
“Mo’unga doesn’t always work like a good horse at home, he saves it for raceday,” Neasham said.
“But I’ve actually been riding him myself the last couple of days and his work on Tuesday was really good.
“He has got a real spring in his step.
“He ran really well fourth for fourth in a Cox Plate and that is certainly nothing to be ashamed of.
“I just know my horses are both good horses and they both deserve their chance on Saturday.”
Meanwhile, Chris Waller has Hungry Heart backing up in the Mackinnon after coming from well back to finish third behind Colette in last Saturday’s Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes over 1600m.
Hungry Heart ($11) won’t want the raceday rain forecast for Melbourne to eventuate as she saves her best for dry ground.
But Waller expects the daughter of Frankel to appreciate the step up in distance to the 2000m of the Mackinnon.
“The barrier draw was unkind to her last start, she was finishing off strongly behind two great mares,” Waller said.
“I think over 2000m I would expect her to improve and be ready to go to a new level.”