Zaaki on course to repeat success
Zaaki can get his season off to a perfect start with victory in the MansionBet’s Beaten By A Head Diomed Stakes at Newbury.
The five-year-old won this Group Three heat last year when it was run at its traditional Epsom home and he can prove just as capable at this track. Zaaki continued to excel last season after that Diomed win, running the illfated Beat The Bank to a nose in the Summer Mile before adding the Strensall Stakes at York to his tally and chasing home Group One performer Benbatl at Newmarket.
He suffered just two disappointments, most notably when dropping back to seven furlongs for the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood and finding himself a bit short of the necessary toe to make his presence felt.
For his final outing, Sir Michael Stoute set him a tough task in upping him to Group One company in the Hong Kong Mile last December.
Zaaki was far from disgraced at Sha Tin, finishing four and a half lengths back in eighth after running pretty well for three-quarters of the race. He has a bit to find with King Of Comedy on the bare numbers, but Zaaki has done nothing but improve over the last two seasons and he might not have reached the limit of his ability yet.
Domino Darling made quite a splash on her racecourse debut last October and she now has her Classic credentials tested in the British Stallion Studs EBF/MansionBet Abingdon Fillies’ Stakes.
A neck winner over Gold Wand on desperate ground at Doncaster, that pair pulled four and a half lengths clear of the rest and Domino Darling has been in plenty of people’s minds for the Oaks since.
A win here would put her firmly in the Epsom mix.
Final Option could go well at a decent price in the Watch And Bet With MansionBet At Newbury Maggie Dickson Fillies’ Stakes. She mixed it in fair company last year and is better than her final outing suggests, when both an unfavourable draw and testing ground proved too much of a challenge.
Dream Shot makes a swift return to action after being beaten into third last week as he lines up in the Listed Scurry Stakes at Sandown.
James Tate’s charge lined up in the Group Three Pavilion Stakes and ran well for a long way over six furlongs before just dropping back in the finish. He reverts to five furlongs here and can make good use of his fitness edge.
Edraak is another with a run already under his belt after springing a 16-1 shock at Newcastle just over a week ago. Previously trained by Owen Burrows, he was placed to good effect by Michael Appleby on his yard debut, winning what appeared to be a handy novice event by a stylish three lengths.