Until Zakouma’s recent Flemington run, the Melbourne Cup qualifying race there was absent from his schedule.
After securing three triumphs on the trot, the gelding arrived at Flemington for Anzac Day, primed and punter-backed to lift the 2000m benchmark 100 prize.
Disaster struck for Grahame Begg’s inmate, hemmed in on the fence at the rear with no gap appearing until well into the straight.
Foregoing paddock time before a spring assault, Zakouma proceeds directly to Saturday’s Listed Andrew Ramsden (2800m) at Flemington.
This fixture is the second of 10 opportunities affording ballot relief into November’s Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) over Flemington.
Begg viewed the prior start as a practical 2000m trial, but set-weights allocation troubles him as Zakouma meets Sydney Cup champ Changingoftheguard on level terms, despite untried longer-range talent.
“He’s got to go the distance and he’s not well-weighted under the conditions,” Begg said.
“I don’t understand why it’s a set-weights race.
“Outside three-year-old Classic races, I can’t think of one, while the winner gets free passage into the Melbourne Cup and then goes back to a handicap, so why not make this a handicap.”
Under Begg since departing Pat Carey and Harris Walker at Mornington, Zakouma remains unproven past 2000m.
Earlier as a three-year-old, he notched second at Bairnsdale’s 2200m and fourth in Caulfield’s 2400m race.
Saturday’s ideal scenario for Begg involves even galloping, Zakouma held up as he tests his staying credentials.
“Changingoftheguard rolls forward, Sir Kingsford rolls forward, so I think they’ll go a good enough clip and normally at the 700 (metres) in these races, the wave starts coming,” Begg said.
“What we’ll try to do is put him to sleep, give him some clean air, and give him one crack at them.
“Whether he’s up to the task and can run the journey, that’s something we’ll find out on Saturday.
“But he goes to the race in good order.”
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