3 minute read

Trainer and jockey quotes after Zachaz takes out the Iron Jack Australian Lagers Benchmark 78 Handicap at Pakenham on Saturday.

Race Result:

1st: Zachaz (C Douglas/C Maher & D Eustace) - $3.80F
2nd: Milestone (N Rawiller/T Busuttin & N Young) - $16
3rd: Nerve Not Verve (D Oliver/M Moroney) - $13

Winning Time: 2:04.04 Last 600m: N/A

Margins: 1¼L x ½L

Zachaz, driven out by @Dougie_5, wins R3 at Pakenham.@PakenhamRacing @cmaherracing

— Racing.com (@Racing) December 5, 2020

Winning Trainer: Ciaron Maher & Dave Eustace (rep by Leigh Allen)

"I thought he'd be further way towards the back but he was midfield and had Starcaster to follow and trucked into the race nicely.

"He works down at FIngal on the Mornington Peninsula so he doesn't do any gallop work, he just rolls through the hills down there so Georgia and the team do a fantastic job.

"We were pretty confident third-up up to 2000 metres. Last start over 1600 metres he was going though the line nicely so we had we weren't scared that he wasn't going to run out the 2000 metres.

"I think the big open wide spaces at Flemington will suit him well.

Winning Jockey: Clayton Douglas

"It worked out perfectly. He began really well for me today. He gave me options and didn't flop away like he can and was in the ruck. I had the right horses around me so it worked out really good.

"I've noticed that there's been a few run on down the middle. This horse, he's a funny horse. He only finishes off when he gets room like that and he's plenty of galloping room.

"He's a big horse and I think he's going to get out over further than today's trip as well. I've had a good association with the horse and last preparation he had a few soundness issues. Obviously the team down and Fingal, it's obviously a really good set up they've got down there.

"Even going down to the start today I was really pleased with his action. There's been a couple of times where I've ridden him down to the start and he wasn't as free moving. When he was free moving like he was today I thought he'd be very hard to beat."