The last of the Melbourne Spring Carnival features take place at Sandown on Saturday including the $350,000 Group 2 Zipping Classic.
The race is named after the horse that dominated this race between 2007 and 2010, winning for four consecutive seasons for owner Lloyd Williams. His colours could be carried by three horses this weekend including Melbourne Cup disappointment Fawkner.
The seven-year-old had gone into the big race in fine form after being narrowly beaten by Adelaide in a blanket finish to the Cox Plate. That followed a game win in the Caulfield Stakes and connections were optimistic of a big run at Flemington. Fawkner failed to pick up in the home straight and faded into tenth place.
He could be joined by 2012 Melbourne Cup winner Green Moon who returns after a virus foiled his chance for a repeat victory. Sea Moon may also make the line-up for which entries were re-opened after only 13 were declared.
They include another Melbourne Cup runner in Andre Fabre’s Au Revoir. He was priced at 70-1 for the big race but he ran reasonably well considering his wide draw. He moved up quite comfortably to the leaders on the home turn before his effort petered out to finish eighth. His best form is all at a mile and a half so it may simply have been a combination of having to use too much early speed and failing to see out the trip. He will join Peter Moody after this race and be aimed at next month’s Hong Kong Vase.
Au Revoir races in the colours of OTI racing and will be joined in the field by Andrew Balding’s Lord Van Percy. Andrew Balding’s stayer was denied a last-ditch attempt to qualify for Flemington when lameness ruled him out of the Lexus Stakes on Derby Day. He is reported to be fully recovered and will try to improve on his fifth place in the Herbert Power Stakes last month.
Prince Of Penzance could not quite get the better of Le Roi in Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes but may be asked to turn out again by trainer Darren Weir. Moonee Valley Cup fourth Epingle and SA Derby runner-up Scratchy Bottom are also among the entries along with the David Hayes and Tom Dabernig-trained Spillway. He ran a good race when fourth to Happy Trails in the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes last time.
Au Revoir @Bet365
