In-form jockey Mark Zahra cannot remember having a stronger book of rides ahead of the opening day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington.
Zahra has been booked for favourite Observer in the Victoria Derby (2500m), second pick Tentyris in the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) and third favourite Leica Lucy in the Empire Rose Stakes (1600m).
All three could start top elects by race time while for good measure Zahra also rides short-priced favourite Getta Good Feeling in the Wakeful Stakes (2000m) and second pick Vinrock in the day’s opening race, the Carbine Club Stakes (1200m).
“I’ve got three good chances in the Group 1’s,” Zahra said.
“I’d be happy with one and even happier with anything above that.
“And Getta Good Feeling, she’s got the best form in her race and looks hard to beat, but it doesn’t always pan out that way.
“But we’ve definitely got some ammo heading in there.”
Zahra, who sits atop the Melbourne Jockeys’ Premiership in the early part of the season, said the one he was looking forward to the most was Tentyris.
The jockey rode the colt in his first two starts, winning up the straight at Flemington, before getting back aboard in his two starts as a three-year-old which saw him successful at Caulfield last time.
“He seems to be a horse that is coming good at the right time,” Zahra said.
“It’s a massive race the Coolmore, especially for these colts and especially for Godolphin.
“He’s got a really good turn of foot. He’s a horse that we rode forward early in his career, and he wasn’t as brilliant.
“You have to ride him cold, and the punters will have their hearts in their mouth. I’ll be out the back, sitting cold, but you watch his turn of foot late.”
Zahra guided Observer to a soft win at Moonee Valley last week which earned the jockey a $1500 fine for letting the colt coast home.
“He pricked his ears late and idled down more than I thought, but it was all good,” Zahra said.
“If you look at him, he’s not a massive horse and I didn’t want him to be having a real gut-buster in that type of race.
“For me, there was no reason to be riding him right out to the finish. You don’t get any more for winning by five lengths.
“It obviously got a bit too close for the stewards liking, but I was always confident of the win, and I wanted to save something for Saturday.”
Zahra is yet to ride Leica Lucy in a race but did trial the mare in a 1000m jump-out at Flemington on October 24.
Leica Lucy will sport a one-eyed blinker on Saturday.
“Hanging in has been a problem for her in her past couple of runs,” Zahra said.
“They’ve got the one-eyed blinker on and she’s drawn low, so hopefully she uses that as a guide.”
