The Ciaron Maher stable is counting on the addition of blinkers to help French import Zabiari rediscover his European form in the final stakes race of the Sydney season.
Zabiari, who has two Group 3 wins over a mile in France, made his Australian debut in the Civic Stakes (1400m) last month, finishing in the midfield.
He has since had a trial to maintain his fitness, and Maher’s assistant trainer, Jo Gerard-Dubord, reports that the gear change has had a positive impact during trackwork, with the hope it will translate to race day performance.
“He’s still an entire and he’s very casual,” Gerard-Dubord stated. “The best of his trials here was the one with the blinkers on. He’s a lot sharper in them at home and on his best, he is certainly up to a race like this. Now he’s had the run here, blinkers going on, we want to see something from him.”
Gerard-Dubord, who cut his teeth in his home country’s racing industry before moving to Australia, is well-equipped to assess Zabiari’s European form. In addition to Group wins at Longchamp and Chantilly, Zabiari placed twice in Listed grade at Deauville during his 12 overseas starts, and any rain would not be detrimental to his chances in Saturday’s Listed Winter Challenge (1500m) at Rosehill.
Maher has also accepted with Eliyass, a recent acquisition to the stable, but will assess the weather and scratchings before deciding on his participation.
The horse made an immediate impact, winning his initial three Australian races during the spring of 2024 before his form waned.
After undergoing fetlock surgery and a stable change post-ninth place in last year’s Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m), Eliyass was well beaten in the Civic Stakes (1400m) first-up. Gerard-Dubord expects him to need another start to reach his best.
“He was wide with no cover, and raced a bit fresh, so to the eye it probably looked plain, but it was just a starting point,” Gerard-Dubord commented. “He’s improved since, but he’ll take a couple of runs until he gets back to his best. We’ll probably work towards the Premier’s Cup Prelude. He’s a horse we need to have right for the spring, and it’s just finding the best path leading into it.”
The Winter Challenge has attracted a full field, led by the Winter Stakes trifecta of General Salute, McHale, and Midnight Dynamite, as well as the rejuvenated seven-year-old War Eternal, who has won three of his last four starts in Queensland.
Check out the latest online bookmakers for the Winter Challenge odds.