Australia: Zaaki favored to win lucrative All-Star Mile at Flemington

The 2021 season was Zaaki’s introduction to racing in Australia.

After losses in his first two starts, Zaaki won six of his next seven races, including three Group 1 wins.

No wonder the former British-trained gelding is an early 5-2 favorite to win Saturday’s $3.69 million All-Star Mile at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne. The field is partially determined by a vote of fans.

Trained by Annabel Neashem, Zaaki ended his 2021 campaign with a win in the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Flemington last November. The 7-year-old Zaaki began his 2022 season with a head loss to Inspirational Girl in the Group 2 Blamey Stakes at a mile at Flemington on March 5.

In the All-Star Mile, Zaaki drew the outside post in a field of 15. Zaaki, who will be ridden by Jamie Kah, has shown the ability to lead or stalk the pace at distances ranging from seven furlongs to 1 3/8 miles since his Australian career began.

Inspirational Girl, Pinstriped, and I’m Thunderstruck have run races good enough to win the All-Star Mile.

Inspirational Girl has won 10 of 15 starts, including four races at a mile.

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Pinstriped, a Southern Hemisphere 3-year-old, was fifth in the Group 1 Australian Guineas at Flemington on March 5, his first loss in his fourth start. He closed from 12th of 15 to lose by slightly more than four lengths after racing in traffic through the stretch.

I’m Thunderstruck won the $5.64 million Golden Eagle Stakes for 4-year-olds at 7 1/2 furlongs at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse last October. Last month, I’m Thunderstruck was fifth in two Group 1 races at seven furlongs at Caulfield Racecourse.

Stakes-filled card at Rosehill Gardens

The Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes, with a purse of $3.69 million, is not only the richest of five top-level races at Rosehill Gardens in Sydney on Saturday, but the world’s richest 2-year-old race.

The six-furlong Golden Slipper drew a field of 16 and may be dominated by the fillies Coolangatta and She’s Extreme.
Coolangatta, unbeaten in three starts, was a modest 4-1 favorite in early betting as of Thursday, while She’s Extreme was 8-1. The leading colt was Sejardan at 7-1.

Coolangatta, trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, is unbeaten in three starts, including a head win in the restricted Magic Millions 2-year-old Classic at six furlongs at Gold Coast Racecourse on Jan. 15 in her second start at the distance.

She’s Extreme won the Grade 3 Magic Night Stakes at six furlongs at Rosehill Gardens on March 12 and makes a rapid turnaround to the Golden Slipper.

Sejardan is a threat from off the pace. He won for the third in his four-race career with a come-from-behind win in the Grade 2 Todham Stakes at six furlongs at Royal Randwick Racecourse on March 5.

The undercard of the Golden Slipper is led by the $517,300 Ranvet Stakes at 1 1/4 miles, which drew a field of six led by reigning Horse of the Year Verry Elleegant, who was 1-2 as of Thursday.

In other lucrative stakes, Forbidden Love, winner of the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs at Randwick on March 5, is a slight favorite over Mo’unga in the $739,000 George Ryder Stakes at 7 1/2 furlongs. Mo’unga was third to Zaaki in the Mackinnon.

Anamoe, second in the 2021 Golden Slipper, was even money in early betting to win the $443,400 Rosehill Guineas at 1 1/4 miles, but must beat the Group 1 winners Converge and Profondo.

The day’s final Group 1 race at Rosehill Gardens is the $517,300 Galaxy Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs. Isotope, who won the Magic Millions Sprint at six furlongs in January, was a relatively short 3-1 in early betting in a field of 14.

The Rosehill program begins at 9:10 p.m. Eastern, or 6:10 p.m. Pacific, on Friday, while the Flemington program begins slightly later at 9:25 p.m. Eastern. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.