Horse Racing

Local Caulfield trainer Brendan McCarthy is hoping his revitalised six-year-old Zedi Knight can back up from his last start victory and produce another winning run on Easter Cup Day this Saturday.

Zeditave gelding Zedi Knight is in career best form having won four of his past five starts and will look for another when lining up against 11 rivals in the $125,000 Group 3 Victoria Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield on Easter Saturday.

A dual stakes winner having won the Listed Hareeba Stakes (1200m) at Mornington in February before his recent success in the Listed Shadwell Stud Australasia Stakes (1440m) at Caulfield on April 9, Zedi Knight has drawn well in barrier two for the Victoria Handicap.

In the Shadwell Stud Stakes, Zedi Knight lead all the way to hold off fellow Victoria Handicap rival, the fast-finishing Carrara by a short-neck.

Due to be ridden by Danny Nikolic, Zedi Knight is one of the three 58kg topweights in the Victoria Handicap field this year along with Group 2 winner Sound Journey and specialist at the distance Orbit Express.

Following the Victoria Handicap, McCarthy said he would either target the Group 1 The Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville on May 7 or step Zedi Knight up to a mile for the first time in the Group 3 RA Lee Stakes (1600m) that same day.

“It is still five weeks to Adelaide so we have plenty of time to freshen him if we want the Goodwood,” McCarthy said.

“It’s still in the mix or I may try him at 1600m metres as that race over there (RA Lee Stakes) is worth $200,000.”

Zedi Knight kicked off their career in remarkable style winning five of his opening six starts.

He lost a little form when struck down with continued leg and back troubles while unsuitably wide barriers got the better of the sprinter.

Jockey Nikolic now seems to have found the right style of riding for Zedi Knight, using patience and tactics to get the results.

“He is going super,” McCarthy said.

Other runners out to put a stop to Zedi Knights sensational streak include Peter Moody’s mare Set For Fame (barrier 10) who won the Group 2 Caulfield Sprint last October, the Darren Weir-trained eight-year-old Time Matters (barrier five) and David Jolly’s consistent sprinter Budriguez (barrier 11) who is the 53kg light-weight of the field and comes off an impressive three length win in the Listed Adelaide Handicap (1400m) at Morphettville on April 9.

The Victoria Handicap is accompanied by the $125,000 Group 3 Easter Cup (2000m) on a bumper Easter Saturday racecard at Caulfield.

2011 The Saturday Age Victoria Handicap Final Field & Barrier Draw