Mark Zahra heads into the opening day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival with as strong a collection of rides as he can recall during his riding career. The in-form jockey will partner leading chances across multiple feature events at Flemington on Saturday.

Zahra is booked to ride the favourite Observer in the Victoria Derby (2500m), second elect Tentyris in the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m), and third pick Leica Lucy in the Empire Rose Stakes (1600m).

Those mounts alone make for a powerful lineup, and Zahra will also be aboard short-priced favourite Getta Good Feeling in the Wakeful Stakes (2000m) and second favourite Vinrock in the day’s opener, the Carbine Club Stakes (1200m).

“I’ve got three good chances in the Group 1’s,” Zahra said.

“I’d be happy with one and even happier with anything above that.

“And Getta Good Feeling, she’s got the best form in her race and looks hard to beat, but it doesn’t always pan out that way.

“But we’ve definitely got some ammo heading in there.”

Zahra currently leads the Melbourne Jockeys’ Premiership and said the runner he is most eager to partner on Saturday is Tentyris.

He rode the colt in his first two starts, including a win up the straight at Flemington, and reunited with him this preparation, where Tentyris has continued to improve.

“He seems to be a horse that is coming good at the right time,” Zahra said.

“It’s a massive race the Coolmore, especially for these colts and especially for Godolphin.

“He’s got a really good turn of foot. He’s a horse that we rode forward early in his career, and he wasn’t as brilliant.

“You have to ride him cold, and the punters will have their hearts in their mouth. I’ll be out the back, sitting cold, but you watch his turn of foot late.”

Zahra also piloted Observer to a comfortable victory at Moonee Valley last week, although the performance came with a $1500 fine for easing the colt down late.

“He pricked his ears late and idled down more than I thought, but it was all good,” Zahra said.

“If you look at him, he’s not a massive horse and I didn’t want him to be having a real gut-buster in that type of race.

“For me, there was no reason to be riding him right out to the finish. You don’t get any more for winning by five lengths.

“It obviously got a bit too close for the stewards liking, but I was always confident of the win, and I wanted to save something for Saturday.”

While Zahra has not yet partnered Leica Lucy in a race, he trialled her over 1000m at Flemington on October 24 and is expecting the one-eyed blinker to be a key factor.

“Hanging in has been a problem for her in her past couple of runs,” Zahra said.

“They’ve got the one-eyed blinker on and she’s drawn low, so hopefully she uses that as a guide.”

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