Jockey Mark Zahra is in the running for a second Caulfield Guineas triumph following a recent trip to Sydney to trial The Next Episode in late August.
The Randwick trials on August 28 provided Zahra the opportunity to partner Call Me Coach in a 1045m heat, where the Dundeel colt finished fourth.
Call Me Coach is set to compete in his third start this Saturday in the Caulfield Guineas (1600m), building on his previous wins at Hawkesbury and a subsequent benchmark success at Cranbourne.
The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained colt, while the least experienced of the 11 runners on Saturday, exhibits sufficient talent for Zahra to consider him a Group 1 winner in waiting.
“I went up to trial The Next Episode and they asked me to do him,” Zahra commented. “I liked him in his trial and said, ‘let me know when he comes down to Melbourne’.”
“He was huge in the last bit at Hawkesbury (on debut) and I think that’s him, still getting it together during the race, but he’s got a powerful turn of foot, a powerful finish, if he gets it right.”
Zahra was aboard Call Me Coach for his one-and-a-half-length victory over three rivals at Cranbourne on AFL Grand Final Eve and also worked the colt at Caulfield on Tuesday.
The jockey understands the challenge of winning on Saturday but is confident in the colt’s underlying capabilities.
“We’ve got pretty high hopes for his ability. He’s shown quite a lot,” Zahra stated. “This race comes around a bit quick, but they’re only three once and the race is coming up this week.”
“What he lacks for in experience, he makes up for it with ability, and we’ll need things to go right, but he’s good enough if things pan out.”
Zahra’s previous Guineas win was achieved on Super Seth, who raced in the same colours Call Me Coach will wear this Saturday.
Both colts are by Dundeel, and Zahra noted a number of similarities between them.
However, Super Seth had more race experience when he contested the Guineas, ultimately defeating Alligator Blood in the final strides.
“He’s got a bit of catching up to do and no doubt we’ll see the best of him in the autumn, but hopefully we can nick one away this week,” Zahra said. “I think he will be a Group 1 horse and in time I think he will want even further than a mile.”
“I’ve got no problem with speed in the race, that will help, but it will be managing him around these bends the best we can, so he’s got something to finish with.”
The Caulfield Guineas is fast approaching, and you can find competitive racing odds at Australian betting sites.