Just under a year ago Angela Jones and Zarastro were cut down, literally in the final stride, by a flying Joliestar with James McDonald urging the then four-year-old to the narrowest of victories in the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup over 1300m, denying both Jones and Zarastro a first Group 1 win in agonising fashion.
The wait for redemption has yet to be satisfied and although Zarastro will be back for another crack at Group 1 glory in the Doomben 10,000 on Saturday, you should spare a thought for Jones who has been sidelined from injuries sustained in a fall at the trials last week.
Since first being associated with Zarastro back on September 2, 2023, Jones has partnered the son of I Am Invincible in eighteen of his last twenty-one starts … including in runs at Caulfield, Rosehill and Randwick … so it will be a bitter-sweet moment for Jones watching one of her favourite horses go out in her favourite silks to try and set that Group 1 record straight without her.
Daniel Moor, who had the opportunity to get a feel of Zarastro in his latest trail on May 7, has picked up the ride on the Tony Gollan trained seven-year-old, who will go into the 10 000 first-up, on the back of two trial wins.
Zarastro return to race action also marks his first run on his home track since that Kingsford Smith result.
Since then Zarastro has raced four times … twice in Victoria at Caulfield, where his best result was a fourth place finish as a beaten favourite in Group 3 The Heath over 1100m … and twice in Sydney, where his best place finish was a third place in the Group 3 JRA Plate at Rosehill over 1200m.
Back with home ground advantage plus a freshen up, Zarastro could well come out with guns firing in which case his outright speed could well see him set the target and apply some pressure on his opponents early in the home straight as he strives to go one better than he did in the Kingsford Smith Cup.
Zarastro is perfectly drawn in barrier 5 although the betting suggests he will need more than that advantage to have a major say in the outcome. Zarastro has been marked up at $41 with online bookmakers.
