When it comes to Group 1 races, there are not many better jockeys than Mark Zahra going around.
But Zahra will need to produce something special when he partners Ostraka in the Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Ostraka has come up with barrier 17 in the 17-horse field, a race the sprinter is trying to win first-up at his first start in Victoria.
The Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald-trained galloper has spent the past couple of weeks in Melbourne preparing for his first tilt at Group 1 level.
After a trial in Sydney on January 30, Ostraka made his way to Melbourne where he finished second to I Wish I Win in a Pakenham 1000m jump-out on February 11.
As part of Ostraka’s build-up to his racing return, the gelding was taken to Caulfield on Tuesday for a familiarisation gallop on the course proper.
“He wasn’t out to break any records. He had a nice bowl around and looked to do it comfortably,” Archibald said.
“It’s a tricky enough track for horses that have never been here before, but the big benefit is to have a look and just as importantly to give Mark another feel of Ostraka before Saturday.
“It’s hard to replicate race day, but he seems to have settled in well.”
Archibald said the jump-out behind behind I Wish I Win showed the stable Ostraka had come back in good order, but Saturday’s performance will tell the full story.
“You never really know until they get back to the races, but from our point of view, he’s ticked every box,” Archibald said.
“He’s really shown us that he’s come back in good order. He looks really sharp, his work has been good, and we can’t wait to get him to the races on Saturday.
“We felt this might be the right race to give him a chance at Group 1 level under handicap conditions.”
Archibald indicated Ostraka would be kept to shorter races this campaign after running in the second half of the field at his last start in the Golden Eagle at Rosehill last November.
“We got lured into the prize money in the Golden Eagle given he won the Silver Eagle so well,” Archibald said.
“We’ll try and keep him a bit sharper this time and see how we go, race by race.”
