Angela Jones seizes unexpected opportunity with Zarastro in Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup

Angela Jones says it will be a special moment when she rides Zarastro in the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup after he was scratched from the race last week.

Angela Jones was one of the few people at Eagle Farm last Saturday who was not at all dismayed when the races were called off.

It meant she now gets an unexpected shot at riding in the third Group 1 race of her career.

With Tony Gollan’s speed machine Zarastro scratched from the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup last Saturday because of the deteriorating track, Jones was secretly hoping the race might not go ahead when more bad weather struck.

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With the Group 1 postponed to this Saturday at Eagle Farm, and scratchings reinstated, the rising star Queensland jockey gets her Group 1 chance on one of her favourite horses.

“When I heard he was scratched I was hoping the meeting got called off, because I really want to see him in a good Group 1 field this winter carnival,” Jones said.

“Riding Zarastro would probably be my best chance to win a Group 1 to date and I have formed some a good connection with him.

“It’s now pretty special to be riding him at that top level, when he’s been such a good horse to me.

“He goes hard and he’s a big beast of a horse and he knows that.

“But come to race day and he’s pretty straightforward.

“He has to roll along, that’s his advantage, he can’t be going too slow or it doesn’t work out.

“He knows what pace he needs to go at and you just have to roll with him.”

Young jockey Angela Jones will have her third Group 1 ride when she partners Zarastro at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Picture: Trackside Photography

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Zarastro has already given Jones three stakes wins and provided some of the biggest moments in the jockey’s young career when scoring a $1m race on Gold Coast Magic Millions day in January and a Group 3 sprint during last year’s Queensland winter carnival.

Zarastro, a winner of more than $1.3m in prizemoney, is a $23 chance in the Kingsford Smith which has been weakened by several scratchings.

Jones’ two Group 1 experiences so far have come when riding $101 bolter Tick Tock Queen (eighth in the 2023 Stradbroke Handicap) and Comrade Rosa (12th in last year’s Tatt’s Tiara).

She feels Zarastro will make his presence felt on Saturday.

Angela Jones combining with Zarastro to win the Group 3 Healy Stakes. Picture: Trackside Photography.

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Jones is currently seven wins behind her great mate, apprentice jockey Emily Lang, in the race for the Brisbane jockeys’ title.

“The premiership is in the back of my mind, I can’t have it in forefront of my mind,” Jones said.

“I’ve just got to focus on riding the winners I can and making the most of the chances you have, rather than focusing on the numbers and what could be or what could have been.

“I am good friends with Emily, which makes it almost harder.

‘First things first and I’m looking forward to Zarastro.

“The race looks to map quite well last week for him and it will again this week, if the sun stays out.

“I don’t see why he can’t be competitive.”

Bosustow, who was disappointing finishing sixth in the Fred Best Classic at Doomben on Wednesday, has joined Private Eye in being scratched from the Kingsford Smith.

Originally published as Angela Jones seizes unexpected opportunity with Zarastro in Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup