Simon Zahra considering maiden Wyong trip

Simon Zahra will consider his options with Princess Que, who is a chance to take him into unchartered territory in this Saturday’s $160,000 Central Coast Community News BM78 Handicap at Wyong.

The speedy mare is in line to become the Flemington trainer’s first runner at the venue that hosts the rich Lakes Mile meeting, which will now start at 11.05am after Racing New South Wales brought the card forward owing to Saturday’s predicted to hot temperatures.

Consideration was also given to deferring the meeting to Sunday, which was Zahra’s preferred scenario, but he said Princess Que may still run in the 1200m event that is Race 5 at 1.10pm owing to limited options at home with Flemington to host back-to-back Saturday fixtures.

“I’ll have a good think about it, but (we’ll) probably (run) because there’s just no races for her down here,” Zahra said.

“We’ve had a couple of goes up the straight and she hasn’t been great at it, but she’s quite good around a bend and Wyong is a tight sort of track that probably suits her style of racing.”

Zahra’s biggest win as a trainer came in Sydney, when he teamed with cousin Mathew Ellerton to win the 2010 Golden Slipper with Crystal Lily, but he has had just three runners in New South Wales since going out on his own just over four years ago.

The quirky Wyong layout was part of the appeal of Saturday’s race for Princess Que, a daughter of Toronado who has had 10 starts for three wins and as many minor placings, and Zahra has been buoyed by the way she has embraced working clockwise.

“It’s always hard for us to go there and get on that leg, but we’ve had a couple of goes at it in trackwork and she seems OK on it,” Zahra said.

“She’s trialled up well – her barrier trials have been very, very good – and she’s very good early on in her preparations.

“She’s going there with a lot of ticks, she’s just got to get on that leg and if she does that she should be competitive.”

Zahra has employed noted front-running rider Adam Hyeronimus to partner Princess Que, who has barrier five in the field of 10 and heads betting from the Bryce Heys-trained Mailata.