Godolphin and trainer James Cummings are aiming for a third straight victory in the Australian Cup with Zardozi on Saturday.

Cascadian secured the Group 1 event in 2023 and 2024, both times with Ben Melham riding. This year, Jamie Melham takes the reins, aiming for her second Australian Cup win after Harlem gave Jamie Kah her first Group 1 success in 2019.

While Cascadian was an experienced campaigner, Zardozi is still developing, despite having already claimed a Group 1 win. Cummings is optimistic about her chances, especially with the rise to 2000m and a return to Flemington.

“Zardozi has been in tough races, so we are quite bullish that we’ve got her going very well,” Cummings said. “We’ve been focusing on process over prize.”

After a solid second in the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes at Caulfield, Cummings believes Zardozi is well-prepared for the Australian Cup.

Zardozi, who finished fourth in the Melbourne Cup last November, has had a steady campaign leading up to this race, including a third-place finish in the Blamey Stakes (1600m) and a close second at Caulfield.

Cummings will reassess her future plans after the race, with Zardozi also entered for the Doncaster Mile, the Queen Of The Turf, the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, and the Sydney Cup.