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Trainer Annabel Neasham has confirmed superstar Zaaki will be set on a collision course with Horse Of The Year Verry Elleegant in a Queen Elizabeth showdown at April’s The Star Championships.
Neasham has an embarrassment of riches heading into the autumn carnival and speaking on Sky Sports Radio on Wednesday she outlined plans for Zaaki plus dual Group 1 winner Mo'unga and exciting imports Top Ranked and Laws Of Indices.
The seven-year-old has won six of his nine starts in Australia since his debut in last year's Doncaster Mile, including three Group 1s, and Neasham said Zaaki's program is likely to start in Sydney in the first weekend in March.
"We'll just keep plans pretty fluid at this stage,'' Neasham said.
"The Queen Elizabeth in Sydney is a real target, and a real grand final for him.
"I'm just working out where he kicks off, possibly the Canterbury Stakes, but we'll see how he comes up in his trials."
Zaaki is $8 equal favourite with Verry Elleegant in TAB's all-in market for the Group 1 $4m Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) run on April 9.
Mo'unga hasn't raced since finishing third behind Zaaki in the Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) in November and Neasham said she plans to strike quickly with the entire.
The four-year-old was a Group 1 winner first-up in the spring, claiming the Winx Stakes, before a narrow defeat in the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemignton.
"He's certainly proven he's up to the weight for age horses,'' she said.
"I thought his best runs were nearly his first two runs over 1400m and a mile. At this stage I'm thinking we might keep him at those slightly shorter trips.
"We know he can get 2000m but I think he's possibly better over the shorter trips. So I think the George Ryder is a good option for him."
The Group 1 $1m George Ryder Stakes (1500m) is run on Golden Slipper Day, March 19.
Exciting grey Top Ranked gave a taste of what could come in the autumn in his Australian debut third in the $1m The Hunter (1300m) at Newcastle back in November and it's likely the $3m Doncaster Mile (1600m) is his major target.
Like Zaaki, Top Ranked could make a hit and run mission for the All Star Mile but Neasham said The Star Championships is the focus.
"With him we're still just getting to know him,'' she said.
"He'd had 12 starts in Europe all over a mile when we brought him out and ran him in the Hunter, that was the first time he ran shy of a mile and I thought he was very good behind Lost And Running.
"It'll be interesting to see if we can make him versatile over shorter and longer."
While the Doncaster is the obvious target, both he and Mo'unga are $15 with TAB, he'll certainly be nominated for the Queen Elizabeth.
Laws Of Indices made a promising local debut in the Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill in October, finishing fifth behind I'm Thunderstruck and a Group 1 race over the same course is on the cards.
Neasham elected to miss The Gong with the four-year-old in favour of giving him more time to acclimatise and the Canterbury Stakes could be his starting point.
"He's a Group 1 winner in France and he was really good in the Golden Eagle being so wide all the way,'' she said.
"The George Ryder is an obvious choice for him as well. He's already had a try at 1500m around Rosehill.
"We'll see how he's coming up in his trials and whether he's looking sharp enough to keep at the shorter trips."
Meanwhile, Neasham said another import Fourhometwo, who was initially being aimed at the Golden Eagle last spring, is only in pre-training having recovered from an injury that has delayed his appearance at the track.
The gelding has won three of his eight starts but he's not likely to play a major role in the Sydney autumn.
"He had an annoying injury, being an idiot on the walker last prep and it's taken a while to recover,'' she said.
"I think the autumn is going to come too soon in Sydney and we may have to divert to Brisbane."
