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By Ray Hickson

Group 1 placed galloper Zou Tiger has won back the trust of the John O’Shea stable and has the right platform to regain the punters’ trust in Saturday’s Listed $200,000 TAB Carrington Stakes (1400m) at Randwick.

Tom Charlton (Pic: Bradley Photos)

That’s the view of O’Shea’s assistant trainer Tom Charlton as he assessed the chances of the stable’s trio, including Maximal and Waihaha Falls, in the feature sprint.

Zou Tiger was placed in the Randwick Guineas last year but missed the spring as he required a tie-back operation. He flopped in his return at Canterbury but Charlton said the signs were there in his narrow defeat at Rosehill two weeks ago that he’s on track.

“He was really disappointing in his first-up run but we were really happy with how he was coming into his second run so we took him on trust,’’ Charlton said.

“He took a good step forward, a five length step, and hopefully he can take another step forward.

“He’s starting to reach peak fitness and perhaps gather a bit of confidence that he might have lost. This race looks a lovely option for him and on his best form he’s well up to this grade.”

Zac Lloyd partnered the gelding second-up and is on board again in the Carrington where he drops to 54kg and meets Rubamos 1.5kg better for their Rosehill clash.

Charlton said Zou Tiger, $5.50 with TAB on Thursday, should be close to his peak fitness now.

“He raced with purpose last start and maybe just got a bit tired late,’’ he said.

“He’s back to a track he’s effective on, a distance that looks ideal and we see no reason why he wouldn’t run well again.”

Maximal has been off the scene since the 2022 Mackinnon Stakes, and been gelded in that time, and Charlton said it’s very much a starting point for the dual Group 1 placed import.

He’s won just once in 17 starts but there’s a sense from the stable that he’s going to race with more consistency this preparation once he reaches his preferred distance range.

“He’s been off a while so he’s going to take a run or two to get back to proper fitness,’’ Charlton said.

“He might find a couple too sharp over 1400m but his trials have been pleasing, and coming back a gelding he seems a happy and enthusiastic horse.

“A run with promise, building, where he will take good improvement would be acceptable as we work to races at 2000m and maybe beyond.”

It’s been a month since Waihaha Falls posted a breakthrough win over the Randwick 1400m, defying a betting drift and coming from last, and Charlton said he can be expected to hold his form.

“He probably didn’t have a lot of luck through some of his runs through the last 12 months,’’ he said.

“Even last time he drew out and had to go right back but he was electric coming home. The 1400m at Randwick is perfect for him, he appreciates being fresh and he has a race like this in his capabilities.”

If talented mare Junqueira is on her best behaviour then Charlton expects her to be hard to beat in the Expect It All This Autumn At ATC Handicap (1200m).

The four-year-old won impressively at the Gold Coast three weeks ago then backed up into the Magic Millions F&M feature and blew the start before finishing fourth behind Lady Laguna.

Zou Tiger runs second at Rosehill on January 13

Charlton said the fingers are crossed that Nash Rawiller can get Junqueira out of the gates safely as there won’t be a lot of room for error with the 61kg.

“She’s a frustrating horse at times but we’ve got Nash on this weekend and she’s back in grade,’’ he said.

“She has a tendency to miss the break at times and she did that on Magic Millions Day, it probably cost herself a few spots closer in the run. Whether she wins that day perhaps not with Lady Laguna winning strongly but there’s no reason she couldn’t have finished second or third.

“If she can get the first part of the race right she will be very effective. He’s a good gate jockey so hopefully he can work some magic.”

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