Two days after winning their first Melbourne Cup, Ciaron Maher and David Eustace will be back at Flemington searching for another group 1 win when they saddle-up Zennzella in the VRC Oaks.
Maher has won the race twice before, back-to-back in 2014 and 2015 with Set Square and Jameka.
But on neither of those occasions did Maher use the Wakeful Stakes on Derby Day as a lead-up race, and Zenzella will have to overcome a five-day back-up to win Thursday’s 2500-metre race.
It’s been done plenty of times before, however, and Maher says the filly couldn’t be in better shape.
“Zennzella, she seems to have thrived. The team are very happy with her,” Maher said.
“It was a very good run [in the Wakeful]. She made her own luck.
Zennzella, ridden by James McDonald, was triumphant last Saturday.Credit:Racing Photos
“She went forward, they ran pretty good sectionals early, and she was very strong late. She’s a horse in really good form.”
Despite the fast sectionals early in the Wakeful, Maher said he was not expecting a flat run from Zennzella, who will be ridden again by gun jockey James McDonald.
“Backing up, we probably wouldn’t normally do that, but for a race like that and jumping up in distance, the Wakeful has got a really good record in the Oaks,” Maher said.
“I haven’t used it in our previous successes in the Oaks, but this filly is in really, really good form. She’s actually put on a little bit of weight since her run the other day and J-Mac was full of praise for her.
“It’s only a small field, but I wouldn’t swap her for any others.”
Zennzella will wear the same silks as Hitotsu, who won the VRC Derby for Maher and Eustace just over 12 months ago.
She shapes as one of the main contenders to Oaks favourite She’s Extreme, who placed third to Sharp ‘N’ Smart and Elliptical in the group 1 Spring Champion Stakes. Tommy Berry jumps back on board the Anthony Cummings-trained filly.
Meanwhile, fields and barriers for Saturday’s revamped Champions Day have landed.
Cox Plate winner Anamoe will face competition from runner-up I’m Thunderstruck and fourth-placed Zaaki in the 2000-metre Champion Stakes after they both elected to head that way instead of the Champions Mile.
Everest winner Giga Kick has drawn barrier seven in the Champions Sprint, where he’ll take on Nature Strip (barrier 12) in the field of 15. That race also includes Masked Crusader, Bella Nipotina, Rothfire and Paulele.
The weight-for-age Champions Mile, which was previously run under handicap conditions on Derby day as the Cantala Stakes, has drawn a terrific field of 11 for its first running.
Mr Brightside and Alligator Blood come out of the Cox Plate, but face stiff opposition from last-start winners Cascadian, Private Eye, My Oberon and Tuvalu.
