Sydney’s wet weather is likely to leave Anthony and Sam Freedman with just one runner at Randwick but that might be all they need to come away with a win.
Blue-blooded colt Custodian, a half-brother to Spring Champion Stakes winner Profondo, is unlikely to take his place in the Skyline Stakes if the track remains heavy, but Zouzarella is a definite starter in the Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m).
The filly hasn’t been exposed to heavy conditions on race day, but the Freedmans’ racing manager Brad Taylor says she has shown a liking for wet ground in her jump outs.
“She’s probably a horse that will appreciate a bit of sting out of the track, even though punters haven’t really seen her on it,” Taylor said.
“She has had a couple of jump outs down here on wet tracks and gone really well.”
Zouzarella unleashed a strong run from back in the field to win the Atlantic Jewel Stakes in the spring but found herself in a forward position at her Sydney debut in the Light Fingers Stakes when fourth to Fangirl.
Taylor said they would revert to riding her quietly from barrier 17 on Saturday and expected her to be finding the line strongly.
“She just blew out late (first-up). It wasn’t the plan to go forward and do that much work from the gate,” Taylor said.
“We were going to go back and get on the back of the favourite (Espiona) and follow her into it, but we gave it the drag into the race.
“She has taken good improvement out of that and she worked really well on Tuesday morning on the Kensington. We are expecting her to run a big race.”
Taylor confirmed Custodian was unlikely to head to Randwick as they weren’t keen to launch his career on a significantly rain-affected track.
“He is in serious doubt with the way the track is,” Taylor said.
“We will just monitor it. If there was a miracle and it got back to an eight or a seven, we’d contemplate it, but I can’t see that happening.
“We will just keep our options open over the next week or so, assess the weather and go from there.”