Extra Zero was born to be a racehorse.
The rising 10-year-old lines-up for his 86th start in the Easter Cup at Caulfield on Saturday.
Extra Zero
The Lindsay Park-trained gelding hates being sent to the spelling paddock and just loves stable life.
“You put him out of work and he stands at the gate wanting to come back in,” co-trainer Tom Dabernig said.
“He just hates going out in the paddock.”
Extra Zero may not be the most prolific winner, having saluted on five occasions, but has notched a further 18 second placings and nine thirds.
One of those second placings was in last year’s Australian Cup when beaten the barest of margins by stablemate Spillway.
An on-pace bias counted against him in this year’s weight-for-age contest at Flemington when finishing sixth, just under two lengths from winner Preferment.
This time last year Extra Zero was contesting The BMW in Sydney, finishing eighth behind Hartnell, and Dabernig said the Group Three race on Saturday is a better fit.
“It’s a tough race but he’s in good form, he’s fit and he would have to be a good each-way chance again,” Dabernig said.
Extra Zero commutes between Lindsay Park’s Flemington stable and its country base at Euroa, but has remained at Flemington since his Australian Cup run.
And as a part of his training, Extra Zero is schooled over hurdles to keep his mind sharp.
But whether Extra Zero has another career in the future hasn’t been discussed.
“He loves jumping,” Dabernig said.
“Over the years he’s done a heap of schooling, but it’s always hard to know what they’re like under race pressure.”
Extra Zero sits on the fourth line of betting at $8 for Saturday’s race with Awesome Rock, who lost the Australian Cup on protest to Preferment, the $3.10 favourite.
