Carzoff can prove he is capable of advancing to the next level when the French import attempts another confidence-boosting win at Rosehill.
A last-start winner for Sydney’s premier trainer Chris Waller at the track earlier this month, the five-year-old steps up in distance to 2000 metres in Saturday’s Benchmark 85 Handicap.
Formerly trained by Alain Couetil who brought Tiberian to Australia for the Melbourne Cup in which he ran seventh, Carzoff arrived at Waller’s Rosehill base in October last year and has been given time to acclimatise to his new surroundings.
Gelded after two trials in May, Carzoff recorded two seconds in his first preparation over winter and resumed last month at Doomben where he finished runner-up over 1350m in a race designed to get him back in race mode.
Carzoff finally won on Australian soil when he claimed a Benchmark 80 Handicap (1800m) by a nose on November 4 and Waller’s racing manager Charlie Duckworth was satisfied he had turned a corner.
“His last prep he just lacked a bit of confidence in hitting the front. Hopefully he’s taken a bit of confidence from that win,” Duckworth said.
“He’s certainly got the class to win these types of races and he could potentially get up to the next level.”
Carzoff was rated the $3.90 second elect with the TAB fixed odds market on Thursday behind the Bjorn Baker-trained Impavido ($3.80).
Another European import, Lead Choreographer ($4.40) is the Waller stable’s other chance in the 10-horse field.
The five-year-old is trying to end a sequence of three second placings by adding another win to his first-up victory at Warwick Farm in September.
“He’s been ultra consistent. Obviously as a colt he wasn’t very genuine but now he’s a gelding he’s had a solid preparation for us and he won’t be too long before he’s in the winners’ circle,” Duckworth said.
Duckworth said Sydney’s weather would dictate whether Black On Gold ($4.40) would attempt his third win in four starts this campaign in the November Topaz (1900m).
“He’s got a soft barrier (4) and he should run really well but he doesn’t handle the wet at all and will be scratched of the track is downgraded to a soft,” Duckworth said.
Rain forecast for Friday and race day should not dampen the prospects of $3.50 favourite Best Guess in a Benchmark 80 Handicap (1200m)
“He likes the sting out of the ground and not many are riding better than Blake (Shinn) at the moment,” Duckworth said.
