The speedy Zaratone has proved to be a pleasant surprise for connections and they are hoping he can continue to raise the bar this campaign.
The Nick Olive-trained six-year-old will resume in the Listed Starlight Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on Saturday, a far cry from his humble beginnings on the NSW country circuit.
“He went to another level last time in, he was just a country horse before that but last preparation he went very well,” Canberra-based Olive said.
A prolific winner out of town, Zaratone came of age last campaign when he strung together three consecutive wins at Canterbury and Rosehill.
His preparation culminated in a solid fifth to Lucky Leak in the Listed Weetwood Hcp (1200m) at Toowoomba in March and while Olive would have preferred an easier first-up assignment he said Zaratone had a good grounding for the Starlight.
“I would have loved to start him in a normal race but he’s got a 93 rating so there wasn’t really another option,” he said.
“But I think he’ll race well, he’s going well.
“He’s quite forward actually, he’s had a few jumpouts at home.”
A final field of 11 was paid up for the Starlight, including Group One winners Atomic Force and Gold Trail and Group Two Sandown Guineas winner Pressday.
Atomic Force is topweight with 60.5kg and Zaratone will enjoy a significant weight turnaround on the last time they met at Warwick Farm in March.
Atomic Force carried 53kg to victory that day, two kilos less than Zaratone who finished 2-1/4 lengths away in seventh.
Olive’s charge will have 53.5kg in the Starlight, meeting Atomic Force nine kilograms better at the weights.
“It is obviously a big difference but the other horse has gone on and won a Group One since then,” Olive said.
The pair will both have to overcome awkward barriers with Zaratone drawing the outside and Atomic Force immediately inside him.
Last season’s premier trainer Chris Waller will have two runners, Pressday and stayer Syreon, both resuming.
Pressday has not raced since finishing fifth to Ilovethiscity in the Group One Randwick Guineas while Syreon is coming off a super autumn campaign which netted a win in the Group Three Queen’s Cup (2000m) and third in the Group One Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m).
Despite being better known over a distance, Syreon boasts a handy first-up record with a win and five placings from seven attempts.
AAP TURF
