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All the attention on Peter Moody's yard this week has centred on Black Caviar's return, but the stable is just as hopeful a much less fancied mare can cause a stir in listed company this week.
A day before Black Caviar chases a 17th straight win on Friday night, Zoomania, a virtual unknown in Sydney, hopes to upstage a classy field in tomorrow's Australia Day Cup (2400m) at Warwick Farm.
The four-year-old relocated to Moody's newly established satellite stable at Rosehill earlier this month, but struggled on her NSW debut running a disappointing ninth in the listed Gosford Cup (2100m).
Tomorrow's staying feature has always been the target for the Zabeel mare, and Moody's racing manager Jeff O'Connor expected a much stronger showing.
“The whole aim was this race, Gosford was to give her one run the other way and also in a listed race,” O'Connor said.
“She's already achieved pretty much what we hoped for this prep. If she could run a place tomorrow it'd be a bonus in a listed race.
“She's always meant to be better as a five-year-old mare by Zabeel. We want a result [tomorrow] but also she's getting experience in open class races.”
Moody and O'Connor decided to give the promising stayer a crack in Sydney after winning a restricted-89 race over 2000m at Caulfield on Boxing Day by five lengths.
It was just her second win, and came two starts after shedding her maiden tag at Sandown, but impressed the stable enough to try her in listed grade.
Things didn't go to plan in the Gosford Cup though, and the Victorian finished seven lengths behind impressive winner Straight Albert, who isn't running on Australia Day.
“We're not sure what happened there it wasn't the run we were looking for at Gosford,” O'Connor said.
“There was a little bit of trouble early in the race. The eventual winner just nagged her for about three or four-hundred metres, got her in an awkward spot and she settled back a bit further than what she probably has been.
“Tomorrow, there'll be a fair few on-pace runners, we'll probably aim [to settle] fourth, fifth, sixth.”
Zoomania will likely return to Melbourne after the run, and O'Connor expected her to mature into a genuine staying type next campaign.
As for stablemate Black Caviar, O'Connor couldn't be any happier and predicted 2010 Australian Guineas winner Rock Classic would be her toughest opponent on Friday night.
“She's super,” he said of the unbeaten champion.
“He [Rock Classic] has probably got the most interest in the race. He's a Group One winner so you'd think he'll be wound up.”