Two challenges lie ahead for Zakouma according to trainer Grahame Begg in the promising stayers quest for the Mornington Cup.

Winning Saturday’s Listed Mornington Cup (2400m) earns a pass into October’s Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m), making it a suitable next step for Zakouma with his three straight victories this term.

Concerns for Begg include navigating the constricted Mornington course, though entry into the race poses the greater difficulty.

The gelding is 21st in line for a field of 14 plus four standbys.

Final fields emerge Wednesday.

“He’s a pretty nice horse and if he can get a run, he’ll definitely run, but that will be the challenge, getting a run,” Begg said.

“He’s so lowly rated, he’s only got a benchmark rating of 78, but he is a promising horse.

“Having a look at the form, there is a bit of a tail to the race, there’s plenty of horses that are out of form, but they’ve got a higher benchmark on previous form from previous campaigns.

“He looks like he’ll run the trip, but the biggest thing for him would be getting around Mornington because he likes to be relaxed in the early part of his races.”

Should he draw a gate, Daniel Stackhouse rides Zakouma, else the gelding heads to Flemington’s benchmark 100 over 2000m on Anzac Day per Begg.

If victorious Saturday in the Mornington Cup, Begg plans a spell honing toward the Caulfield Cup, unlikely to chase further than Flemington a week hence.

“The Andrew Ramsden would be unlikely, and we would be unlikely to travel interstate at this stage,” Begg said.

“We’d prefer to just stay in our lane.”

Nonconformist gave Begg second in the 2021 Mornington Cup, later second again to Incentivise in the 2026 Caulfield Cup.

Zakouma’s preparation started with a 1600m score at Caulfield Heath, then 1800m at Sandown, culminating in 2000m on heavy track at Flemington on March 28.

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