Zaratone's Return Worth the Weight

Canberra trainer Nick Olive has been forced to return Zaratone to group racing in a bid to keep the six year-old's weight down. The Zariz gelding will jump from barrier one in the group 3 Sebring Stakes (1100 metres) at Rosehill today after a plucky third to Title in the listed Maurice McCarten Stakes (1100m) last start, where the gelding fell a long neck short.

Having led for most of the race, Zaratone couldn't hold off both Title and Uate in the dying stages. Olive put it down to the poor ground on the rail which forced jockey Kathy O'Hara to take him wide and away from his preferred running along the fence. Before the McCarten, Olive had hinted he wouldn't return Zaratone to group-level racing, but has changed his mind in a bid to avoid carrying a big weight.

The winner of the listed Starlight Stakes (1100m) couldn't handle the 61 kilograms he was assigned on Black Opal Stakes Day. Zaratone struggled in the Camarena Handicap (100m), finishing fifth behind Girls Go Racing. "He went sensationally the other day, he only got beaten by a neck in a listed race. With his high rating, I don't really have much choice, he's got to go in those good races," Olive said. "I've got it worked out that he doesn't carry the weight well. When he raced here on Black Opal Day he had a big weight - I think he had 61kg or something - and he didn't carry it well. He definitely appreciates getting down in the weight." But that means he'll come up against some tough horses, with Pinwheel, Riva De Lago and Tiger Tees amongst the challengers. Olive also has three runners - Maniago, Hogwash and Lofty's Peg at Wagga Wagga today.

Reprinted from The Canberra Times Saturday April 7 2012.
Date published: 11/04/12