The Chris Waller trained Who Shot Thebarman has been installed the favourite to score back to back wins in the Group 2 $300,000 Quayclean Zipping Classic (2400m) at Sandown on Saturday.
Who Shot Thebarman, above, is chasing back to back wins in the Zipping Classic at Sandown. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Who Shot Thebarman currently sits at the top of the market order at $3.20 for the Zipping Classic at Ladbrokes.com.au after drawing the inside barrier in the eight horse field.
Hugh Bowman takes the ride on Who Shot Thebarman after the pair finished fifth to Almandin in the Group 1 $6m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 1.
The eight year old stayer hasn’t visited the winner’s stall since winning the Zipping Classic twelve months with James McDonald in the saddle after running eleventh to Prince Of Penzance in the 2015 Melbourne Cup at his previous start.
“Who Shot Thebarman won it last year after coming off a similar run in the Cup, so it depends on the opposition,” Waller told the Herald Sun.
“He has pulled up well since the Cup.”
“I think the tracks have been fantastic at Flemington during Cup week and the horses have been pulling up well.”
“Earlier in the Carnival they pulled up knowing they’d had a run but this week they have been pretty good and seem to have come through it really well.”
Three year old So Si Bon is set to take on the older horses in the Zipping Classic and under the weight for age conditions will carry 50.5kg, 6.5kg less than his nearest rival in the weights, Godolphin’s English staying mare Beautiful Romance on 57kg.
The Robbie Laing trained So Si Bon has drawn the outside of the field at barrier eight and will be ridden by Craig Williams, replacing Bowman who rode the So You Think colt into fourth place behind Prized Icon in the Group 1 $1.5m AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington on October 29.
So Si Bon is on the second line of betting at $4.20 ahead of Melbourne Cup runners Big Orange at $5 and Almoonqith and Beautiful Romance both at $6.
The Lindsay Park trained Almoonqith and Beautiful Romance finished sixth and seventh in the Melbourne Cup while Big Orange was further back in tenth position.
The Michael Bell trained Big Orange has drawn nicely at barrier two with Damian Lane to ride, Almoonqith has drawn barrier four with Damien Oliver in the saddle and Beautiful Romance will jump from gate five for Glyn Schofield.
Beautiful Romance’s stablemate Secret Number is also coming off a tough Melbourne Cup run when twenty-first with Stephen Baster to again ride the seven year old who will jump from barrier six in the Zipping Classic.
