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Jumping returns to Oakbank for the first time in more than a year on Sunday for the opening day of a new-look Easter Carnival in 2021.
Some of the sport's biggest names will be back in the Adelaide Hills including leading New Zealand horseman John Wheeler and top Victorian trainer Eric Musgrove, who have dominated Australia's biggest picnic race meeting over the past two decades.
Sunday will be the entrée to a big few days with the $102,760 Von Doussa Steeple (3250m) and $102,760 Harry D Young Hurdle (3600m) set down for Wednesday and already attracting impressive nominations.
Patrick Payne's Zed Em will make his return to Oakbank chasing a staggering sixth Oakbank major – and a showdown with the Ciaron Maher and Dave Eustace-trained Big Blue in the Von Doussa.
Now a 10-year-old, Zed Em won is first Von Doussa in 2017 before bypassing the Great Eastern, returning to complete the Von Doussa/Great Eastern double in 2018 and again in 2019, before last year's Oakbank Carnival was cancelled due to COVID-19.
Zed Em is expected to line-up up in Saturday $127,760 Great Eastern Steeplechase over 4950m.
Former European Big Blue stamped himself as one of Australia's most exciting jumpers in 2019 by winning the Galleywood Hurdle at Warrnambool, prompting connections to send the horse back to England for some jumping features.
But after failing in three runs he's back in Australia and fitter for one run back from a long spell in the Edenhope Cup.
2020 Grand National Hurdle winner Double Bluff will run in the Harry D Young Hurdle on the Wednesday on the back of an impressive return to the jumps at Warrnambool earlier this month where he scored by 14 lengths in soft conditions.
Easter Saturday's big day of racing will also feature the $102,250 Hills Railway Stakes over 1100m. The race was run at Morphettville last year and won impressively by star mare Bella Vella, who went on to win the Group 1 Sangster Stakes at her next outing.
