Australia: Zaaki begins march to Cox Plate in Tramway Stakes
The primary goal with Zaaki in coming months is the Group 1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne on Oct. 23, Australia’s leading weight-for-age race.
Zaaki’s appearance in Saturday’s Group 2 Tramway Stakes at seven furlongs at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney is part of an expected two-race buildup to the $3.7 million Cox Plate.
Zaaki won three consecutive group-level stakes in May and June, notably the Group 1 Doomben Cup at 1 1/4 miles at Doomben Racecourse in May. The $148,000 Tramway Stakes is the 7-year-old British-bred gelding’s first start since a win in the Group 2 Q22 Stakes at 1 3/8 miles at Eagle Farm Racecourse in June, and his first start in a sprint since a seventh in the Group 2 Lennox Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse in England in 2019 when trained by Michael Stoute.
A winner of 7 of 26 starts, Zaaki is winless in five starts at less than a mile, but has never been in as good of form as he showed earlier this year with trainer Annabel Neasham.
Zaaki is part of a field of 10 in the Tramway, and will face the 9-year-old Dreamforce, the winner of the 2019 and 2020 runnings of the Tramway, but a disappointing 11th of 14 in the Group 1 Winx Stakes at a mile at Randwick on Aug. 21 in his first start since April.
A stellar 10-race Randwick program begins at 9:40 p.m. Eastern, or 6:40 p.m. Pacific, on Friday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.
Earlier on the program, Nature Spirit, the 2019-2020 Australian Horse of the Year, will be an odds-on favorite in the Group 3 Concorde Stakes at five furlongs. The $118,400 race is designed as a prep for the $11.1 million Everest Stakes at six furlongs at Randwick on Oct. 16. The 7-year-old Nature Spirit was seventh in the 2020 Everest.
In Saturday’s Group 2 Furious Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs at Randwick, Four Moves Ahead, Najmaty, and She’s All Class were 4-1 co-favorites in early betting on Thursday, but 7-1 Swift Witness has the benefit of a recent win in the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes at Randwick on Aug. 21. Four Moves Ahead was third in that field.
Cascadian, winner of the Group 1 Doncaster Mile at Randwick in April, is a deserving favorite in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes at a mile after finishing fifth by only a half-length against an outstanding field in the Group 1 Winx Stakes at seven furlongs on Aug. 21.
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Kukeracha, the winner of the Group 1 Queensland Derby in May, can improve in the Chelmsford following a recent second in the Rowley Mile at Hawkesbury on Aug. 19 in his first start after a layoff.
Moonee Valley: Undefeated Elephant steps up in Feehan Stakes
At Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne, the undefeated New Zealand-bred Elephant will have his group stakes debut in the Group 2 Feehan Stakes, a $370,000 race at a mile.
Elephant won four races in New Zealand in 2020 and earlier this year, and his Australian debut in a seven-furlong handicap at Caulfield Racecourse on Aug. 14.
The mare Sierra Sue and gelding Superstorm were first and fourth in the Group 2 Lawrence Stakes at seven furlongs at Caulfield on Aug. 14, separated by 1 1/2 lengths, and have excellent chances in the Feehan.
Portland Sky, winner of the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate at 5 1/2 furlongs at Caulfield in February, will have his first start since March in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes, a $222,000 race at five furlongs. Portland Sky, who will be favored, in the McEwen, is a candidate for the Everest.