Australia: Zaaki puts streak on line at Caulfield in Might and Power Stakes
A little more than a year ago, Zaaki finished last of seven in a minor stakes at Sandown Park outside of London. Weeks later, he was sold for approximately $195,000 at a horses-in-training sale in England.
Since then, Zaaki has had quite the career turnaround on the other side of the world.
Saturday, Zaaki will be a massive favorite to win his sixth consecutive Group 1 or Group 2 race in the Group 1 Might and Power Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia.
Zaaki has won 5 of 7 starts in Australia this year, including two Group 1 races – the Doomben Cup at Doomben Racecourse at 1 1/4 miles in May and the Turnbull Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Sandown Racecourse in Melbourne on Sept. 25.
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Zaaki, trained by Annabel Neasham, had four rivals in the Turnbull, winning by two lengths. He is part of a field of six in the $729,600 Might and Power Stakes, one of three Group 1 races at that value on a 10-race Caulfield program that begins at 9:15 p.m. Eastern, or 6:15 p.m., Pacific, on Friday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.
A 7-year-old British-bred gelding by Leroidesanimaux, Zaaki was previously trained by Michael Stoute. Zaaki was a three-time stakes winner in England, but was not a leading factor in occasional appearances in Group 1 or Group 2 races.
Zaaki is the 5-4 favorite in future-book betting for the Group 1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne on Oct. 23, Australia’s leading weight-for-age race.
In the Might and Power Stakes, Zaaki’s main rival is the 5-year-old New Zealand-bred mare Probabeel, a three-time Group 1 winner who was second in the Underwood.
There are solid favorites in the other two Group 1 races at Caulfield, both run at a mile – the Caulfield Guineas for Southern Hemisphere 3-year-olds, and the Toorak Handicap for older horses.
The 16-runner Caulfield Guineas looks to be a tussle between Anamoe and Artorius, who were second and fourth in the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes at seven furlongs at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse on Sept. 25 behind In the Congo.
Anamoe was second in the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes, a $2.65 million race at seven furlongs for Southern Hemisphere 2-year-olds in March and won the Group 1 Sires’ Produce Stakes at seven furlongs in April. Anamoe was beaten a head in the Golden Rose Stakes as the 4-5 favorite, closing from seventh in a field of 13.
Artorius closed from 12th in the Golden Rose, and was beaten about 1 3/4 lengths. Artorius won the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes at six furlongs at Caulfield in February.
The Toorak Handicap drew 14 and is led by I’m Thunderstruck, a winner of 4 of 7 starts who was third by about a half-length in the Group 1 Rupert Clarke Stakes at seven furlongs at Caulfield on Sept. 18.
While I’m Thunderstruck has every chance to show further improvement, there will be support for Dice Roll, second in the Clarke, and Elephant, who has won 6 of 7 starts in New Zealand and Australia and will have his Group 1 debut in this race.
Royal Randwick
Never Been Kissed, already a Group 1 winner this month, will attempt to win her second race at the highest level in Saturday’s $726,900 Spring Champion Stakes for Southern Hemisphere 3-year-olds at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney.
Never Been Kissed won the Group 1 Flight Stakes in a 40-1 shocker for fillies at a mile at Randwick on Oct. 2, and will start in the longest race of her career in the Spring Champion against males.
The colts Head of State and Profondo, first and second in the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Rosehill Gardens on Sept. 25, will lead the betting.