Extra Zero Back For Another Campaign
- Monday, 03 August 2015 09:19
One of last season's most consistent gallopers is set to make a reappearance at Flemington.
Extra Zero had a 14-start campaign last season, finishing out of the placings just twice.
While he only scored one win, he was nosed out in three races including the Group One Australian Cup won by stablemate Spillway at Flemington in March.
He hasn't raced since finishing eighth to Hartnell in The BMW at Rosehill in March and is down to resume in a 1400m open handicap at Flemington on Saturday.
Extra Zero finished a first-up third to Late Charge over 1400m at Flemington last September, the beginning of a string of minor placings before he broke through at Flemington on New Year's day.
Lindsay Park co-trainer Tom Dabernig said the nine-year-old was coming along nicely for his first-up run.
Dabernig said Extra Zero's early form would determine his campaign path with a country Cups program and the Group One Mackinnon Stakes among the options.
"He's carrying plenty of condition which you want them to do at the beginning of their campaign," Dabernig said.
"He'll find the 1400 metres too sharp and will steadily improve with a bit of racing once we get him out to his right trip.
"He seems good and hasn't lost any enthusiasm at this stage."
Extra Zero has had a couple of Flemington jump-outs to ready him for his first-up assault, the latest on Friday.
Meanwhile, Australian Cup winner Spillway is being given a steady build-up after spending time on the sidelines with injury.
Dabernig said Spillway suffered a joint strain when fourth to stablemate Criterion in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick in April.
"He's under saddle and cantering," Dabernig said.
"We'll be guided by how he progresses but we're not expecting him to be racing until the back-end of the spring.
"He might only have a run or two then we'll put him away and get him ready for the autumn."
