With the AFL Grand Final done and dusted the attention in Melbourne turns to Flemington and what is regarded as moving day.
The Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) on Saturday, in particular, is a race that can shape the fortunes later into the spring.
The 2024 winner Via Sistina would go on to win that year’s Cox Plate while Smokin’ Romans the year before was sent out favourite in the Caulfield Cup following his Turnbull win.
Incentivise (2021) and Verry Elleegant (2020) would both go on to claim the Caulfield Cup after their Turnbull victories while Winx in (2017-2018) won the Turnbull on her way to Cox Plate success.
Sir Delius won last year’s Turnbull and was favourite for the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup until he was ruled out of those races after scans revealed he was at a heightened risk of injury.
Half Yours finished fourth in last year’s Turnbull and went on to claim the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups double and Ciaron Maher is attempting to follow suit with Zahrann, who won the Naturalism Stakes, as Half Yours did, before his Turnbull win.
Success in the Naturalism Stakes at Caulfield on September 19 afforded Zahrann a ballot exemption into the Caulfield Cup on October 17 and Maher said he was happy to follow the Half Yours path.
“That was the path we had set out for him,” Maher said.
“He was only second up (in the Naturalism), he’s a colt, and if he can go to the Turnbull and run well, and win, even better.
“He’s a Night Of Thunder colt, so if he was able to win at Flemington, it would be ideal.”
Zahrann is one of five runners Maher has in Saturday’s race.
Joining Zahrann will be Light Infantry Man, Middle Earth, Saint George and Kings Valley.
Saint George finished second to Zahrann at Caulfield last start, with Kings Valley seventh in the same race.
“Saint George was super the other day, Kings Valley was super also,” Maher said.
“Kings Valley has improvement to come, looks wise, and ability wise, and I think he can.
“George, with three kilos more, was, facts and figures wise, as good, or better.”
Middle Earth is coming off finishing seventh in Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on September 19 and Maher said he was progressing nicely while Light Infantry Man finished eighth to Sheza Alibi at Flemington in the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) on September 12 and will appreciate the rise in distance.
