Annabel Neasham confident Zaaki will shine in Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes

Annabel Neasham had hoped Zaaki would win the Cox Plate but she insists he is now ready to rumble and claim a different Group 1 prize.

Zaaki is ready to rumble in the Mackinnon Stakes on Saturday. Picture: Getty Images

As Zaaki aims for the consolation prize of Saturday’s Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes, trainer Annabel Neasham revealed how close she was to ending her star galloper’s spring campaign on the heartbreaking morning of his Cox Plate scratching.

Zaaki was the long-time Cox Plate favourite and poised to give his grand final race a mighty shake until he spiked a temperature, with Neasham fearing that was it for the spring carnival.

But a day is a long time in racing and the two-time Group winner was virtually back to normal the next day with blood tests showing it was just a 24-hour bug.

Melbourne Cup week jockey star James McDonald rode Zaaki on Tuesday and assured Neasham the former import was ready to rumble and take his place as the $2.40 Mackinnon Stakes favourite at Flemington on Saturday.

“I sort of thought on the (Cox Plate) day, we would just be tipping him out,” Neasham said.

“But by Monday his bloods were completely back to normal, I think it was very much a 24-hour thing and we have just monitored him and he seems very happy.

“Obviously he hasn’t had as an ideal a preparation as he had in Brisbane, he didn’t run up to expectations at Caulfield and then had that little temperature.

“But James came and worked him on Tuesday and he gave him the thumbs up.

“He looks as well as I’ve ever seen him look and I’m hopeful that he is going to bounce back and run a big race on Saturday.”

Sydney-based Neasham has been “back on the tools’’ this week, mucking out boxes and riding the slow work of some of her horses in Melbourne.

She has ridden Mo’unga – her second Mackinnon Stakes seed – and said all signs are he could produce a peak performance in the Mackinnon.

The Cox Plate form is now looking terrific, with Mo’unga finishing fourth in a race where third-placed Verry Elleegant then came out and stormed to a stunning Melbourne Cup victory.

Zaaki (left) and Mo'unga (right) during a Melbourne beach session. Picture: Getty Images

“Mo’unga doesn’t always work like a good horse at home, he saves it for raceday,” Neasham said.

“But I’ve actually been riding him myself the last couple of days and his work on Tuesday was really good.

“He has got a real spring in his step.

“I think going back to Flemington has got to be a big plus for him, he has had two runs there and both his runs have been excellent.”

“He’s probably not the forgotten horse because he hasn’t been forgotten, but he’s very, very talented and a very consistent horse and he will love this track.

“He ran really well fourth for fourth in a Cox Plate and that is certainly nothing to be ashamed of.

“I just know my horses are both good horses and they both deserve their chance on Saturday.”

Mo’unga is rated a $7.50 chance in the Mackinnon.

Meanwhile, Chris Waller has Hungry Heart backing up in the Mackinnon after coming from well back to finish third behind Colette in last Saturday’s Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes over 1600m.

Hungry Heart won’t want the raceday rain forecast for Melbourne to eventuate.

But Waller expects the daughter of Frankel to appreciate the step up in distance to the 2000m of the Mackinnon.

“The barrier draw was unkind to her last start, she was finishing off strongly behind two great mares,” Waller said.

“It’s a decent Mackinnon field and there’s a couple of really good horses there.

“But I think over 2000m I would expect her to improve and be ready to go to a new level.”

TAB fixed odds has Hungry Heart as an $11 chance in the Mackinnon.