Duke De Sessa in shape for Zipping Classic honours
Ciaron Maher and David Eustace will be out to add a second Zipping Classic to the trophy cabinet when Duke De Sessa lines up at Caulfield.
The multi-state trainers collected the Group 2 Zipping Classic (2400m) with Southern France when the race was run at Sandown, a week after the conclusion of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
The 2021 Zipping Classic, won for a second time by the Mike Moroney-trained Sound, was moved to Caulfield and run two weeks later than it had been previously, and Saturday’s running will be the third at its new home, and date.
Duke De Sessa is an Irish-bred import who will be lining up for his sixth Australian start on Saturday.
The five-year-old entire made his Australian debut in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile at Randwick in April and was immediately put away for the spring.
Upon resumption, Duke De Sessa contested three Group 1 races – the Memsie Stakes, the Turnbull Stakes and Caulfield Cup – acquitting himself well before a last start third behind Muramasa in the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) at Flemington.
Southern France came to Australia for the 2019 Melbourne Cup and finished 19th, returning 11 days later to win the Zipping Classic under Mark Zahra.
Zahra will ride Duke De Sessa on Saturday, the first time the dual Melbourne Cup winning jockey has been aboard the galloper under race conditions.
Maher took Duke De Sessa to Caulfield on Tuesday for another look at the track and said the stayer appears spot on for Saturday’s contest.
“His fitness is pretty good,” Maher said.
“Mark will ride and will probably roll forward. He hasn’t had a taxing spring. He’s holding his condition relatively well.”
Maher said there was excuses for Duke De Sessa last start when behind Muramasa, an opponent again on Saturday.
“We were very happy with his last run,” Maher said.
“He got held up a couple of times at crucial stages. Whether that made a difference or not, but with a better run on Saturday, I would say he’ll be thereabouts.”
More Racing News
Queensland tilt among the options for Neasham 2YO
A belated shot at the Brisbane winter carnival is among the options for lightly raced filly Aemelius after she upstaged a handy field of two-year-olds to win the opening race at Randwick. Having just her second start, the Annabel Neasham-trained youngster, who started at $12 with betting sites, went back to last...
Scarlet Oak wins Roses to earn G1 Queensland Oaks favouritism
Chris Waller has labelled Scarlet Oak a “rising star” after the lightly raced filly staked her Group One Queensland Oaks claims with a classy win over stablemate Mare Of Mt Buller in the Doomben Roses. The filly has come a long way in a short time, making a winning debut in New Zealand in...
Sargent hoping Casual Connection can earn a Brisbane Cup berth
John Sargent is crossing his fingers that Casual Connection’s narrow victory at Randwick will give him a sufficient ratings boost to squeeze into the field for the Brisbane Cup. A renowned trainer of stayers, Sargent saddled up two runners in the two-mile race last year, Essential Sky who finished fifth and Outlandos ninth, and...
The Black Cloud descends on Randwick rivals
Having begun the day questioning how well The Black Cloud had come back this campaign, Joe Pride ended it by labelling her a stakes-class horse in the making. The Proven Thoroughbreds filly took her record to three wins from four starts with a rousing first-up victory in Saturday’s Taylor Construction Handicap (1000m)...
Le Ferrari leads home Lindsay Park quinella at Sandown
A return to Sandown has paid a dividend for Lindsay Park galloper Le Ferrari who led home a one-two finish for Ben, Will and J D Hayes. Le Ferrari over-ran stablemate Rheinberg to claim the Thoroughbred Club Of Australia Handicap (1400m) on Saturday. Ridden by Ben Allen, Le Ferrari ($10) overhauled Rheinberg ($7.50) in the final...
Bois D’Argent upsets rivals in G1 Doomben Cup
Trainer Annabel Neasham has landed a second victory in the Doomben Cup with a horse she said was well over the odds. Imported galloper Bois D’Argent held off a late bid from New Endeavour to follow the win of Zaaki for Neasham in 2021 in the Group 1 2000m weight-for-age contest. Ridden by Blake...
Timely Sandown double for Dan O’Sullivan
The Ballarat stable of Dan O’Sullivan is enjoying a purple patch of form in the metropolitan area which has included a race-to-race double at Sandown. O’Sullivan welcomed back to the winner’s enclosure Way Up High in the Sportsbet Photo Finish Handicap (2400m) before Matriarch Rose took out the Stow Solutions Handicap (1600m) on Saturday. The...
Trip test next for Lady In Pink
A return to Sandown has brought out the best in the Leon and Troy Corstens-trained Lady In Pink who will now be stepped up in trip for a race at Flemington. Lady In Pink took out the Senet Gambling Law Experts Handicap (1600m) on Saturday and will head to Flemington for a 2000m...
Resolute reason for Waller filly to come up Roses
It carries Group Two status, but The Roses will have a distinct Group One feel for trainer Chris Waller as he prepares to saddle up the first Australian runner for John Stewart’s Resolute Racing. The American business tycoon created headlines earlier this year when he announced his intention to make an audacious...
Final roll of the dice for Classic prospects at Randwick
An 1800-metre three-year-old race at Randwick is set to have a bearing on the upcoming Classic races in Queensland with the majority of runners holding a nomination for either the Oaks or Derby. Seventeen horses, four of them emergencies, have been accepted for Saturday’s Wilson Asset Management Handicap and only Invincible...