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By Ray Hickson

There’s no evidence that father time is creeping up on Annabel Neasham’s star Zaaki and the trainer is confident he can start his spring in the same fashion as he’s done in the past two years – with a Randwick 1400m win on Saturday.

Trainer Annabel Neasham (Pic: Grant Guy)

The difference is the starting point is a couple of weeks earlier, the Group 1 $1m Winx Stakes (1400m) as opposed to the Tramway which he's won twice under set weights and penalties.

Neasham said on SEN she saw no reason to wait given his liveliness and strong efforts in public gallops of late.

“He’s always been very easy to read,’’ she said.

“It was well documented that he wasn’t quite right at the start of autumn so we had to abort plans.

“He’s always been a bubbly horse and he’s certainly no different this preparation, he’s the same now as he was last year and two years ago.”

He made a late start to his autumn, as Neasham alluded, and it took Giga Kick to run him down in the All Aged Stakes (1400m) back in April.

Zaaki, $4.20 favourite with TAB on Friday, stepped out in an exhibition gallop with stablemate Sunshine In Paris a couple of weeks ago then ran second to Golden Slipper winner Shinzo in a 900m trial on August 11.

The nine-year-old, with four Group 1s and over $10 million in prizemoney to his name, was very fresh in the race day gallop but has convinced Neasham he’s ready to go now.

“I thought he trialled up really well which is why we head to this race off one trial,’’ she said.

“He’s going to have improvement in him. I’ve never ran him off one trial before but he didn’t have long out, he goes very well fresh, and he doesn’t mind the cut in the ground that we should have.”

Jamie Kah partners Zaaki in the Winx Stakes having had a spin on him in the trial and it’ll be the eighth time she’s been on the gelding’s back.

They’ve combined to win an All Star Mile and a Mackinnon plus a game second in Think It Over’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

“It’s good timing that this is the weekend she’s ready to make a comeback and there’s no better horse to come back and ride,’’ Neasham said.

“She was very happy with the feel she gave him last week and she knows him very well. I’m really happy to have her back in the saddle.”

While all attention will be on Zaaki, Neasham is adamant stablemate Mo’unga will be a force this season and had it not been for a tricky barrier she’d be confident the six-year-old could repeat his win in the race from two years ago.

Newhaven Park made the decision to keep the dual Group 1 winner racing at a time when most with his record would be retired and Neasham said his form warranted it.

“I said to Charles (Kelly) I’d be disappointed if I don’t get another two Group 1s with hm,’’ she said.

“I just get a really good feeling about the horse. He’s been the bridesmaid a lot last season, ran second behind Dubai Honour and defeated Anamoe that day.

Zaaki's trial at Rosehill on August 11

“I know he has drawn poorly and it’s always frustrating when you see the barriers come out and you get 16. But it’s a big field and there might be a bit of pressure and he’s a horse that takes some winding up.”

Mo’unga broke new ground by winning his first ever barrier trial when he scored at Warwick Farm recently, holding off Think It Over and Buenos Noches. Neasham said that’s a positive sign.

“He’s never been a good trial horse, he’s not the best trackworker either but he’s been good at both of those this preparation,’’ she said.

“Physically he looks the best we’ve ever had him. He’s continued to mature, he’s still got that wonderful temperament and if it is even possible I feel like there’s more improvement that’s going to come with him this campaign.”

Annabel Neasham on Kristilli (race 9)i: “She’s ultra talented. To win like she did in the Percy Sykes, she put the writing on the wall that she was talented. I hope she’s the one they’ve got to beat but she does just need to get that first half right if she’s going to go up a level. She’s only lightly raced so I think she’s going to get better the more we do with her.”

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