Italian jockey Andrea Atzeni has a little help from friends in Caulfield Cup bid

Hong Kong-based hoop Andrea Atzeni called on three superstar peers for advice on how he can win the Caulfield Cup with Godolphin mare Zardozi.

Friends in the right places could help Hong Kong-based Italian jockey Andrea Atzeni build on his Australian Group 1 record with victory in the $5m Caulfield Cup.

Atzeni, who won the Sydney Cup this year, has Zardozi in the main event on Saturday for Godolphin trainer James Cummings.

Atzeni has called on friends and Cups collectors Mark Zahra and Kerrin McEvoy to school up on the 2400m Melbourne Spring Carnival major.

Zahra, riding in Sydney on Saturday booked on Giga Kick in The Everest, has won the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup twice each inside the past four years.

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He completed the historic Cups double last year on Without A Fight, a horse Atzeni rode almost exclusively previously in Europe and Dubai.

Atzeni won seven of 15 starts on Without A Fight, including multiple stakes races.

McEvoy has won three Melbourne Cups (2000, 2016 and 2018) and the 2008 Caulfield Cup.

Atzeni, who boasts 31 wins at the highest level including some of the world’s most prestigious staying races, also called on four-time Cox Plate winner Hugh Bowman.

Bowman, of Winx fame, has been based in Hong Kong in recent years.

“I’ve watched the Caulfield Cup before but knowing I was coming here … I spoke to some of the boys that have ridden in it and won it as well,” Atzeni said.

Andrea Atzeni winning the Sydney Cup aboard Circle Of Fire earlier this year. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

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“I spoke to him (McEvoy) just now and he actually rode the mare Zardozi before, so he’s given me a few tips about her and the track and the race itself.

“I’m good friends with Mark, I’ve known him for a long time, and him riding Without A Fight, a horse I used to ride, I’ve been friends with Mark a long time.

“I’ve never ridden here before, it’s always nice to (help visiting jockeys), it’s like when some of the boys come and ride in Europe and England.

“A lot of the foreign jockeys, like at Royal Ascot, come and always ask you … It helps also they’re not in the race!”

Zardozi is a $7.50 chance with Ladbrokes for the Caulfield Cup.

The Godolphin mare, touched off in The Metropolitan last start in Sydney, won VRC Oaks last year.

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“I think she’s got a great chance, in with a light weight and The Metropolitan run was a great,” Atzeni said.

“She’s had a few runs this year and she looks like she’s improved with every run, on the back of her last run, off that weight, you’d think she’d be very, very competitive.

“She’s a mare that stays very well, doesn’t mind cut in the ground and also watching the replays, she’s got a bit of tactical speed, which you probably need.

“I haven’t spoken to James yet on what he wants me to do, but she looks like a mare probably needs switching off, if we can switch her off, relax, see how the track rides tomorrow, the way the ground is, I think she’ll give a kick.”

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Atzeni planned to walk the track at Caulfield on Friday afternoon with fellow Hong Kong-based jockey Karis Teetan, rider of Coco Sun on Saturday.

Atzeni has two rides at Caulfield on Saturday before the main race.

“It always helps, I did that before the Sydney Cup,” Atzeni said.

“You can walk the track and whatever, but it helps a lot if you get on a horse and get to know the track before the big race.”

Atzeni has yet to secure a ride for the Melbourne Cup but would be open to returning for another crack at the race that stops a nation.

He rode My Ambivalent (17th) in the 2014 Melbourne Cup behind Protectionist.

Originally published as Italian jockey Andrea Atzeni has a little help from friends in Caulfield Cup bid