Trainer Mick Price remains confident that Tarzino can post another win at the highest level through the 2016 Spring Carnival, despite the multiple Group 1 winner’s lacklustre performance in the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) over the weekend.
Tarzino is yet to produce much through two 2016 Spring Carnival starts so far. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos
Tarzino jumped well from barrier 4 and took a positive position in running, but was hampered at several stages in transit; most notably by the Team Hawkes-trained Entirely Platinum.
Hugging the rails rounding onto the final straight, it appeared as though Tarzino would be given evert chance to win the race but failed to produce anything of a sprint; fading to finish a disappointing tenth.
Price told Racing Victoria that the Tavistock entire has shown no ill-effects from the race and he confirmed that the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) and Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) will remain stepping stones on the horse’s trail towards the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m).
“Tarzino’s good and he was fine on Sunday morning,” Price said.
“It was a stop-start race on Saturday, the Makybe Diva.
“He drew an inside barrier and Entirely Platinum didn’t help, he ran into the back of him and Tarzino’s not a stop-start horse, he needs to be able to flow into his races.
“He had nothing in front of him in the run and he’s a horse that can get a bit keen but it was just one of those races that didn’t work out for us.
“I’m happy with him and am looking forward to the Underwood and then going on to the Turnbull and the Caulfield Cup.”
Tarzino experienced something of a meteoric rise to prominence through 2015, after running a credible seventh in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) in October; his first appearance amongst black type company.
Savaging the line for third in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase (2040m), Tarzino capped his year with a dominant performance for success in the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m).
Resuming this year for fourth in the Group 2 Autumn Stakes (1400m), Tarzino finished an agonizingly-close second in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) before returning to winning form in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m).
Having ended his autumn campaign fourth in the Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m), the stallion out of Zarzino resumed this time for eighth in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m), in what was his only other start prior to the Makybe Diva Stakes.
