John O’Shea has every intention of running Zabeel Babe in the Group One Queensland Oaks as long as the filly can turn her form around at Randwick on Saturday.
The daughter of Zabeel was well beaten at Warwick Farm at her most recent start over 1600m when she weakened in the straight to be defeated by almost 10 lengths.
But O’Shea said different tactics would be adopted in Saturday’s Australia’s Favourite Air Handicap (2000m).
“If she was to run well on Saturday she would run (in the Oaks),” O’Shea said.
“She’s really pleasing me. She blotted her copybook the other day (at Warwick Farm) but I gave a positive instruction to (jockey) Christian (Reith) and on reflection it was probably the wrong one.
“We’ll ride her quietly on Saturday and I’ve got a good opinion of her. If it’s not this year it will be one year, but she worked particularly well on Saturday morning and she’s obviously going to relish the 2000 metres.”
Zabeel Babe, who is out of 2003 Sydney Cup-winning mare Honor Babe, was paid up for on Wednesday at the first acceptance stage for the Queensland Oaks (2400m), to be run at Eagle Farm on Saturday week.
“In them Oaks races half the battle is to run a mile and a half, and she’ll run a mile and a half on her ear,” O’Shea said.
Stablemate Leading has been scratched from Saturday’s Sydney race to run in the Grand Prix Stakes (2200m) in Brisbane.
The Randwick trainer has a good team entered for Saturday’s Randwick meeting including talented filly Steps In Time, last-start winner Legsman and two-year-old Jujitzel.
Last-start Hawkesbury Guineas placegetter Steps In Time has 61.5kg in the Fujitsu General Handicap (1400m) with apprentice Taylor Lovelock-Wiggins to claim two kilograms.
“We’ve just brought her along steadily (since the Hawkesbury Guineas) and she’ll run well,” O’Shea said.
“It’s obviously a big impost but she’s got a bit of quality about her. If she doesn’t win and the weight beats her then we’ll just turn her out.”
Lovelock-Wiggins also jumps back aboard Legsman in the JR Turk Handicap (2000m) after partnering the honest stayer to a tough victory at Canterbury on May 7.
“He actually comes into the race alright because with the claim he comes in three kilograms less for winning last start,” O’Shea said.
“So that’s not a bad scenario.”
O’Shea also has Jujitzel on trial for a Brisbane appearance, with the filly’s performance in the PKF Handicap (1200m) to determine whether she heads north for the Listed Lancaster Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm on June 11.
AAP TURF
