A good barrier draw will give Zanbagh a great chance to collect a Spring Carnival win in the Listed $150,000 Sportingbet Sandown Cup (3200m) at Sandown on Saturday.
Zanbagh, red white, cap is fighting out the finish of the 2013 Crown Oaks with Kirramosa, black and gold, and Solicit, green. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
The Patrick Payne trained Zanbagh has drawn barrier three in the twelve horse Sandown Cup field and will have the services of Glen Boss again after he rode the mare last start when eighth to Le Roi in the Group 3 $300,000 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) at Flemington last Saturday.
Even though Zanbagh only beat one runner home on a firm Flemington track, Boss is confident that the prospect of a rain affected track at Sandown on Saturday will help improve the chances of the Australian Oaks and Crown Oaks runner up.
“She just felt the firm track, she wants cut in the ground,” Boss said after the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Payne agrees and is looking forward to a better showing stepping up to the 3200m on soft ground.
“This preparation has been a bit of a flop; her last run wasn’t too bad but Sandown will have some give in the ground, so this should be a suitable race for her,” Payne told Racing Ahead this morning.
“This preparation has been far from a fairytale, when we tried to get her fit and turn her on it all just went pear-shaped.
“I’d like to think we’re still learning with her.”
David Hayes and Tom Dabernig have decided to put the blinkers back on Unchain My Heart and give her one more throw at the stumps and the eight year old mare will find this a lot easier than her last start sixteenth in the Group 1 $6m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 4.
Unchain My Heart has won at the distance on two occasions and has drawn barrier five with Craig Newitt to take over from Dean Yendall.
The Ken Keys trained Like A Carousel has drawn the outside of the field with Dwayne Dunn taking over the reins from Newitt.
The Cranbourne trained Like A Carousel has fair form leading into the Sandown Cup suggesting that he has a great chance to go one better than last year when second to Caravan Rolls On.
Like A Carousel ran into Caravan Rolls On again two starts back when second to the Danny O’Brien trained English import in the Group 3 $300,000 Sportingbet Powerd By William Hill Geelong Cup (2400m) at Geelong on October 22.
The five year old stayer then ran sixth to Signoff in the Group 3 $300,000 Lexus Stakes (2500m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day.
Trainer Robert Hickmott and owner Lloyd Williams will only have one runner in the Sandown Cup, Massiyn, after their other two nominations Green Moon and Sea Moon were final acceptors for the Group 2 $350,000 Deadly Design Zipping Classic (2400m) on the same program.
Massiyn has raced himself into form of late and was narrowly beaten last start when second to Bring Something in the Listed $250,000 Jayco Bendigo Cup (2400m) at Bendigo on October 29.
Massiyn has drawn the inside gate with Nicholas Hall to ride.
