THE CHALLENGERS ARE LINING UP AGAIN, BUT ZAAKI IS EXPECTED TO BE TOO STRONG ONCE MORE

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, June 9, 2021

There are occasions when an outstanding win by a horse can put a scare into its rivals and chase them away from a meeting with that runner when it next goes into action … but that has not proved to be the case with Zaaki after his runaway win in the Doomben Cup.

Zaaki, who was making it two in a row after winning the Group 2 Hollindale in her start prior to the Doomben Cup, dominated that Group 1 event every bit as easily as the official seven length winning margin suggests … but Toffee Tongue, Brandenburg and Nettoyer (who finished second, third and fourth respectively in the Doomben Cup) will all be all back for more when they once again face Zaaki in the $1.2 million, Q22, a 2200m race to be contested at Eagle farm on Saturday.

Homesman, The Candy Man and Vanna Girl, all soundly beaten by Zaaki in the Hollindale are also back for another bite at the cherry.

Zaaki, in fact, will face fifteen opponents in the Q22. Under normal circumstances you might think traffic problems (as in luck in the running) will play a part in Zaaki’s quest for a third straight win but, such is her pattern of racing, that any traffic problems are likely to occur in her wake. She runs close to the pace and produces a formidable kick in the home straight suggesting others will need to rely on more than bad luck in the running to beat her.

“He certainly hasn’t taken a backward step since the Doomben Cup, said Annabel Neasham, Zaaki’s trainer.

“He pulled up superb. He went to the paddock for a week and just got ridden at the beach each day. His is work has been very good since then.”

“On Tuesday morning he was very fresh. He did a good gallop. He is full of himself and that is what you want to see with an older horse … to be enthusiast and full of life coming to the end of a prep.

“In the Doomben Cup, he was basically in a race of his own. From the top of the turn, l Iooked behind him and everything was off the bridle and he just skipped clear of them like they were maideners, which was extraordinary given that they were good horses.

“I can’t see why he is not going to turn up in the same form he was three weeks ago.

“Win, lose or draw he will go to the paddock for a short break after Saturday.”

Zaaki, who will again be ridden by James McDonald, is currently quoted at the restrictive odds of $1.50.

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