With the AFL Grand Final now behind us, the racing excitement in Melbourne is shifting to Flemington, marking what is considered a pivotal day in the spring carnival.
The Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) set for Saturday is a particularly influential race, often shaping the outcomes for horses aiming for success later in the spring season.
Via Sistina, the winner in 2024, went on to capture the Cox Plate that year, while Smokin’ Romans, the previous year, was the favourite for the Caulfield Cup after his Turnbull win.
Incentivise (2021) and Verry Elleegant (2020) both secured the Caulfield Cup following their respective Turnbull victories, and the celebrated Winx (2017-2018) won the Turnbull on her path to Cox Plate success.
Sir Delius was last year’s Turnbull winner and was a leading hope for the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup until scans revealed a heightened risk of injury, preventing him from contesting those races.
Half Yours finished fourth in last year’s Turnbull Stakes and went on to win the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups double. Ciaron Maher is now looking to emulate this success with Zahrann, who, similar to Half Yours, earned a Caulfield Cup start by winning the Naturalism Stakes before his Turnbull run.
The victory in the Naturalism Stakes at Caulfield on September 19 provided Zahrann with a ballot exemption for the Caulfield Cup on October 17, and Maher stated he was pleased to follow the path taken by Half Yours.
“That was the path we had set out for him,” Maher said.
“He was only second up (in the Naturalism), he’s a colt, and if he can go to the Turnbull and run well, and win, even better.
“He’s a Night Of Thunder colt, so if he was able to win at Flemington, it would be ideal.”
Zahrann is one of five runners Ciaron Maher has entered for Saturday’s race at Flemington.
Joining Zahrann in the field are Light Infantry Man, Middle Earth, Saint George, and Kings Valley.
Saint George came second to Zahrann at Caulfield in their last race, with Kings Valley finishing seventh in the same event.
“Saint George was super the other day, Kings Valley was super also,” Maher remarked.
“Kings Valley has improvement to come, looks wise, and ability wise, and I think he can.
“George, with three kilos more, was, facts and figures wise, as good, or better.”
Middle Earth is coming off a seventh-place finish in the Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on September 19, and Maher mentioned that the horse is progressing nicely. Light Infantry Man, who finished eighth behind Sheza Alibi in the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 12, is anticipated to perform better over the increased distance.
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