Call Me Coach gets Zahra's Guineas endorsement

A trial in Sydney for The Next Episode in late August has Mark Zahra in the running to secure a second Caulfield Guineas title.

Zahra partnered Call Me Coach in a 1045m heat at Randwick on August 28, where the colt finished fourth.

Call Me Coach is preparing for just his third career start in the Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on Saturday. His previous outings include victories at Hawkesbury and a benchmark win at Cranbourne.

The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained colt enters the race with less experience than his 10 rivals but possesses enough talent to prompt Zahra to label him a Group 1 winner in waiting.

"I went up to trial The Next Episode and they asked me to do him," Zahra explained. "I liked him in his trial and said, 'let me know when he comes down to Melbourne'."

"He was huge in the last bit at Hawkesbury (on debut) and I think that's him, still getting it together during the race, but he's got a powerful turn of foot, a powerful finish, if he gets it right."

Zahra rode Call Me Coach to a 1-½ length win against three other horses at Cranbourne on AFL Grand Final Eve and also put the colt through his paces in a gallop at Caulfield on Tuesday.

The jockey acknowledges the difficulty of the task ahead on Saturday but is aware of the significant untapped potential within the horse.

"We've got pretty high hopes for his ability. He's shown quite a lot," Zahra commented. "This race comes around a bit quick, but they're only three once and the race is coming up this week."

"What he lacks for in experience, he makes up for it with ability, and we'll need things to go right, but he's good enough if things pan out."

Zahra achieved his previous Guineas win on Super Seth, who carried the same silks Call Me Coach will wear on Saturday.

Both horses are progeny of Dundeel, and Zahra observed certain parallels between them.

However, Super Seth entered the Guineas with more race experience and managed to run down Alligator Blood in the final strides.

"He's got a bit of catching up to do and no doubt we'll see the best of him in the autumn, but hopefully we can nick one away this week," Zahra said. "I think he will be a Group 1 horse and in time I think he will want even further than a mile."

"I've got no problem with speed in the race, that will help, but it will be managing him around these bends the best we can, so he's got something to finish with."

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