Trainer Gai Waterhouse is thrilled to have added Zoutenant to her stables for the 2016 Autumn Carnival and believes the tough three-year-old is capable of first-up success in Saturday’s Group 3 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick.

Posting a credible two wins and three minors through ten career starts so far, Zoutenant clearly needed the run when beating only one opponent home in the Bob Ingham Handicap (1100m) upon resuming in spring but responded well when third to Japonisme in the Tradie Magazine BM72 (1100m).

Placing seventh in the Listed The Rosebud (1200m) on August 8^th, the Zizou colt returned to winning form in the Carramar Park Handicap (1000m) before placing fourth in the Listed Heritage Stakes (1100m) and second in the Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) most recently on October 3^rd.

Waterhouse told Racing Ahead the colt has taken plenty of benefit from his time away from racing and is displaying all the traits of a first-up winner ahead of his return in the Eskimo Prince Stakes.

“He’s super, a really beautiful colt,” Waterhouse said.

“He’s just done everything right since coming to my stable and has matured tremendously, is extremely fit and is ready to pounce first-up.

“He’ll be up on the speed.

“I think it’s a really quality field, I certainly can’t fault the quality of horses he’s up against so it’s going to be hard to win the race, but he’ll be right there.”

Trialling well in the lead-up to his competitive debut, Zoutenant immediately stamped himself as a colt to follow when running second in the Sire Custodians 2.y.o Plate (1100m) in late 2014; progressing to a standout success in the Wyong Magic Millions 2.y.o Classic (1100m) but failing to fire and fourteenth in the Gold Coast Magic Millions 2.y.o Classic (1200m) in January.

Ladbrokes.com.au is currently offering the best 2016 Eskimo Prince Stakes odds, for which Zoutenant can be taken at a quote of $17 for success, or $4.70 to finish in the first three.