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By Ray Hickson

There’s a sharpness to Zaaki’s work of late that tells trainer Annabel Neasham her headliner is capable of a first-up win at Randwick on Saturday but she’s quick to warn it’s not grand final day.

Trainer Annabel Neasham (Pic: Grant Guy)

The import, whose star rose quickly after a promising Sydney autumn then a string of dominant wins in the Brisbane winter, looms large over the Group 2 $200,000 Fujitsu General Tramway Stakes (1400m) from both a market and a profile point of view.

Neasham said Zaaki may appear a little woolly in the coat on race day but is otherwise where she wants him for his first start this spring.

“This weekend is about getting him back to the races and looking for a solid performance and having him hit the line,’’ she said.

“I think he will do that and hopefully he’s still too good for them.

“Obviously 1400m is a bit of an unknown, we started him off over a mile last time, so maybe that makes him a little bit vulnerable.

“But having said that I’m as happy with him leading into this race as I was into the Doncaster last year. I think he has a real spring in his step so it’s exciting to have him back.”

The seven-year-old hasn’t won below 1607m and was unplaced in all four starts at 1400m in the UK after placing at 1209m at his debut. But it’s been two years since his last attempt and is obviously now in a different environment.

Since a quiet trial at Warwick Farm back on August 9, Zaaki has had a gallop with stablemate Mo’unga at Randwick a week prior to that horse’s Winx Stakes win and more recently a jump out last Friday before completing his build up with a pleasing piece of work on Tuesday.

Zaaki, $2.10 with TAB on Thursday, has only started five times in Australia so his rise has been a swift one, accelerated by a seventh length win in the Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m) in May.

The Warwick Farm trainer is aware of Zaaki’s growing status in racing, and thinks the gelding is too.

“He sort of knows it. When you see him around the stable he’s got a bit of ‘look at me’ about him which I didn’t notice at the very start,’’ she said.

“I don’t know if he’s just sensed that he’s good but it’s nice to have a horse with a bit of hype I suppose. It comes with its benefits but comes with added pressure.

“I’m happy with the horse and he’s got to go out and do it now for another prep.”

Why Neasham elected to start off at 1400m when there’s a mile option on the program goes back to a view she formed prior to Zaaki’s local debut in the Doncaster Mile in April.

He gave a glimpse of what was to come by finishing sixth, after jumping from barrier 19 and 17th on the bend, in the nation’s best handicap mile.

“Last prep I remember thinking leading into the Doncaster that I should wait for the All Aged and wait a week because he was humming at home,’’ she said.

“I always said next prep I’d kick him off over 1400m.

Zaaki's trial at Warwick Farm on August 9

“It can take a lot of work for them to get fit to run well at a mile first-up. He had a jump out and two trials, going into the Doncaster. I haven’t had time to get enough foundation into him to run a mile first-up so (the Tramway) looks the right sort of race.

“I want to see him hit the line, with that enthusiasm that he’s got, James (McDonald) knows him well so I’ll leave tactics to him. The main thing for me is for him to be hitting the line and hopefully that’s in front.”

Meanwhile, Winx Stakes winner Mo’unga came through his second Group 1 win in A1 condition and after a quiet week is being prepared for his next run in either the Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on September 18 or Makybe Diva Stakes on the same day.

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Randwick meeting