The Leon and Troy Corstens and Will Larkin-trained Zou Sensation will keep to a regimented pattern of racing in Victoria after flopping on his latest travel interstate.
Zou Sensation returns to racing in the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday with the stable potentially eyeing a Group 1 contest later in the campaign.
Troy Corstens said the gelding has not been at his best in past trips interstate and declared the sprinter’s travelling days are over.
After winning at Flemington on New Year’s Eve and then finishing last when fresh at Caulfield in February, the Corstens and Larkin team had aspirations of a Brisbane Winter Carnival campaign with Zou Sensation.
Finishing fifth at Scone in May, Zou Sensation made his way to Brisbane where at his only outing he beat one runner home in the Group 2 Moreton Cup (1200m) on June 6.
On a previous trip to Queensland in January 2025, Zou Sensation finished midfield in two outings, once at the Sunshine Coast and then in the Magic Millions Cup at the Gold Coast.
“He will never travel again, it just doesn’t suit him,” Corstens said.
“I’m not sure what it is. We’ve tried it a couple of times, but he’s just not at his best when we’ve travelled him, so we’ll never travel with him again.”
Since being back at his Flemington home, Zou Sensation has had two trials at Werribee.
The first one, on July 3, he finished fourth to Hard Kick and Cruiserweight while last Friday he defeated Evaporate over 800m.
“He trialled really well on Friday morning,” Corstens said.
“He pulled up well, he’s come through it well and we’re looking forward to seeing him at Caulfield on Saturday.”
Corstens said the team would be guided by Zou Sensation’s performance on Saturday, but the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield is in the back of the stable’s mind.
“Saturday is the kick-off and you look at him and you think he is a Rupert Clarke sort of horse,” Corstens said.
“We’ve got to try and see if we can get him there.
“The Peter Lawrence could be next, but we’ll have a look and see and we’ll be guided by what he does on Saturday.”
Zou Sensation has drawn eight in the nine-horse field and will be ridden by Jamie Mott.
Two former Perth gallopers Cosmic Crusader and Aztec Ruler are set to have their first starts for Victorian trainers in Saturday’s sprint and have drawn barriers one and three respectively.
