Spring fever Pressures on with Zaaki and Wild Ruler

Spring is about building reputations and, as it begins for Doomben Cup winner Zaaki and Wild Ruler at Randwick on Saturday, there are the dreams of glory and opportunities to be had.

Nature Strip is the other main attraction for first city meeting of spring but he has nothing to prove, whereas the best is hopefully in front of Wild Ruler and Zaaki.

Wild Ruler out to prove his Everest credentials against Nature Strip in Saturday’s Concorde StakesCredit:Getty

The importance of the pair’s return is not lost on trainers Annabel Neasham and Peter Snowden as Saturday will shape opinions and their springs.

Zaaki has yet to win in Sydney but his dominance during the Brisbane winter has him favourite for the Cox Plate. For Neasham his return, like every other run this preparation, is a stepping stone to that goal.

“The Cox Plate and October 23 is the target but with him the pressure is there every time he runs,” Neasham admitted.

“He could be a little bit vulnerable on the weekend, because I always have a bit of improvement left in my horses to build into a preparation.

“He has a bit of quality around him. He has had a trial and jump-out, which have him in good order. The main thing about the weekend is to see him hitting the line, because he is going to get better as he steps up.”

Zaaki’s goals are clear and he doesn’t have to worry about getting into his grand final. It is different for Wild Ruler.

The four-year-old has promised to climb to group 1 level but has so far fallen short. He is another sprinter with Everest ambitions.

Wild Ruler will get a good test of his credentials against Australia’s best sprinter, Nature Strip, in the Concorde Stakes â€" a race that has launched Redzel and Gytrash into an Everest slot in the past.

“We know what sort of horse you need [for an Everest] and what sort of level they have to be at for that race,” Snowden said. “It’s up to him to show that and this is his best time. It is the strongest he has been, and he knows all about racing now.

James McDonald looks relaxed on Zaaki in trackwork at Randwick.Credit:Getty

“We are just selecting our marks with him and want to get him to the best level we can this preparation. He is a nice horse and well above average. Whether he is group 1 or not, we will find out.”

Nature Strip is a $1.50 favourite for the Concorde Stakes and offers the benchmark for Wild Ruler to be compared too.

Nature Strip comes off a dominant autumn capped by a second TJ Smith, but he has been beaten first-up in the past. Wild Ruler won the Arrowfield Sprint against his own age in the autumn but failed when he stepped to the Doomben 10,000 on soft going. However, there was an excuse.

“In the 10,000 he galloped on his heel and split it open and had to have stitches, so that explains that, but you want to see them do it and this is his time now,” Snowden said.

The imperative for Wild Ruler is a dry track. He was scheduled to run in Melbourne on Saturday, but the weather forecast there put an end to that plan.

“His dry form is extremely good. He has won five of eight on good tracks but any cut in the ground and he is no good at all,” Snowden said. “We want the track firm for him.

“He isn’t going to Melbourne because of the forecast of rain. Hopefully we don’t get any here.”

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