John Zielke in buoyant mood to venture south for spring carnival

JOHN Zielke’s confidence of another successful Melbourne raid grew after watching Dreams Aplenty and Happy Event win back-to-back Cranbourne jumpouts this week.

Happy Event looks in good form after an impressive jump out at Cranbourne. Picture: Tim Marsden

JOHN Zielke’s confidence of another successful Melbourne raid grew after watching Dreams Aplenty and Happy Event win back-to-back Cranbourne jumpouts this week and he is tipping the pair to defy their market standing at Flemington on Saturday.

With Press Statement, Brazen Beau and Zoustar all winning spring Group 1s off the back of Queensland campaigns in the past three years, expectations are high this record will continue.

Aside from encouraging returns by Impending and Nikitas in Sydney’s Run To The Rose, the Queensland winter juvenile form has been mostly unexposed so far. Zielke believes his duo will highlight its worth on Saturday.

Dreams Aplenty ($13) was competitive with the best through the carnival, where Zielke and jockey Bobby El-Issa regarded him unlucky in the Sires after the saddle slipped.

The stable blamed the “quicksand” on the inside for his failure in the Group 1 J.J. Atkins.

He will resume on Saturday in the Group 2 Danehill Stakes.

“You’d be kidding yourself if you think you can declare a horse in a race like this,’’ Zielke said. ‘‘It wouldn’t surprise if a number of these came out and turned into Group 1 winners.

“But you need a strong 1400m horse to win down the straight and Dreams Aplenty fits that bill.

“He’s super fit.

‘‘He won a jumpout at home by five lengths and he won by about the same margin at Cranbourne this week.

“He’s taller, thicker set and a lot stronger now.”

John Zielke and Happy Event during the Brisbane winter carnival. Picture: Tim Marsden

Happy Event ($19) runs in the Cap D’Antibes, a race that has often proven a guide to the Thousand Guineas.

“Happy Event’s race is nowhere near as strong as Dreams Aplenty,” Zielke said.

“She won her jumpout just as easily as Dreams Aplenty and ran pretty much the same time. Apart from the topweight (Missrock), which I think is the one to beat, I would be disappointed if we don’t have the others covered.”

Queensland’s recently named two-year-old of the year Royal Tithe will join Zielke’s Melbourne team and likely run fresh in the Thousand Guineas Prelude.

“I’ve been able to win a race at Flemington both previous times I’ve come down (with Kengrande in 2004 and Worthy Cause last year) and there’s no reason we can’t win a couple of three-year-old races this carnival,” he said.

Zielke also intends to make a tilt on the early Melbourne two-year-old stakes races, with a Dream Ahead youngster who is being aimed at the Debutants Stakes.

Originally published as John Zielke in buoyant mood to venture south for spring carnival