Trainer John Mcardle will weigh-up two Stakes race options for the ultra-consistent Regal Zeus.
The Group 3 Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m) or the Listed Anniversary Vase (1600m) at Caulfield, both run on Saturday, will be the gelding’s next assignment.
Regal Zeus landed his first ‘Black Type’ win when taking out the Listed Golden Mile (1600m) at Bendigo on April 12.
McArdle said Regal Zeus would be an acceptor for both races on Saturday after which an assessment would be made of both races before deciding on where the gelding would head.
“He will be an acceptor up there and for the Listed Mile race down here,” McArdle said.
“We’ll just have a look at both races, but the Hawkesbury Gold Cup does get you into The Big Dance, so that’s certainly a good carrot, so we’ll weigh it up and make a plan.”
Finishing first or second in one of 32 Country Cups around NSW leads to the $3 million The Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick on Melbourne Cup Day, November 4 of which the Hawkesbury Gold Cup is a qualifier.
Regal Zeus has been ultra-consistent finishing one-two in 10 of his past 11 starts.
His one ‘miss’ came at Caulfield last October when finishing sixth, before rebounding to win the VOBIS Gold Star at Moonee Valley nine days later.
Returning from a break, Regal Zeus ran second at Moonee Valley over 1200m before scoring over that trip at Caulfield on March 15 ahead of his Bendigo victory four weeks later.
If Regal Zeus does head to Hawkesbury, it will be the gelding’s first trip interstate, a trip that McArdle said would not bother the four-year-old.
“He’s a tough horse,” McArdle said.
“It will be the first time that he will travel if we go to Hawkesbury, but not too much bothers him.
“We’ll accept in both places, look at fields and barriers and work it out from there.”
The Hawkesbury Gold Cup has attracted 22 nominations with My Oberon the highest rated galloper while 25 have been entered in the Anniversary Vase, headed by Pride Of Jenni.
Besides Regal Zeus being entered in both contests, Holymanz, Socks Nation and Welwal have also been nominated at Hawkesbury and Caulfield.
