Far from being frustrated by Zamorar’s three recent stakes placings, trainer David Bourne is proud of the gelding’s consistency and hopes it can translate to an overdue win at Flemington on Saturday.
The four-year-old is one of 22 nominations for the Group Three Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m), the first stakes race in Melbourne for the new season.
Zamorar comes into the race off a second to Riziz in the Listed Creswick Stakes followed by third behind Platelet in the Monash Stakes and another second to Ready to Rip in the Bletchingly last Saturday week.
“It would be lovely if he could win a good race and it’s a testament to his honesty he’s going so well,” Bourne said.
“He is very consistent and very sound and hopefully that will help.
“He’s had a couple of rough gates lately which haven’t helped.
“Drawing two last time didn’t really help him as he got cluttered up.”
Bourne will wait until acceptance time on Wednesday to declare a jockey with Jamie Mott unable to ride at 54kg, which is what Zamorar will carry unless there are defections among the horses rated above him.
“We’ll have to wait to see what is in the race,” he said.
“If the weights go up and he gets up around 56 kilograms then Jamie will be able to ride.”
Bourne works around 16 horses at a time at Seymour in country Victoria with Zamorar the undoubted star.
He underlined his potential when he finished fourth in the Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington last spring behind Sepoy, Foxwedge and Satin Shoes.
Midas Touch, one of several horses bought by Lloyd Williams from Coolmore in Ireland, heads the Aurie’s Star ratings on 110 with international Group One winner Green Birdie on 107 with Seville, another Williams import on 106.
Midas Touch was runner-up in the 2010 Irish Derby while Seville ran second last year.
