Annabel Neasham says she is still haunted by the race morning scratching of Zaaki from the Cox Plate two years ago.
Still in the infancy of her training career, Neasham had the race favourite for the 2021 Cox Plate but had to withdraw Zaaki from the Group 1 race because of an elevated temperature.
Two weeks later, Zaaki came out to claim the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington.
“It was pretty gut-wrenching a couple of years ago,” Neasham said.
“I had only been training 14 months and had Zaaki favourite for the race and he was scratched the morning of.
“It still haunts me a little bit that but winning it with him would be very special.
“I know everyone is saying he’s old, but I haven’t noticed any change in him and if anything, he’s got a little bit more sparkle about him this year than 12 months ago.”
Zaaki has another shot at Cox Plate glory having finished fourth in the race last year behind Anamoe.
The now nine-year-old has not raced since running second in the 7 Stakes (1600m) at Randwick last month after being a race morning scratching from the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on October 14.
Neasham took Zaaki to Moonee Valley for a gallop on Tuesday morning.
“He looked great galloping, was full of beans and I think he knew where he was,” she said.
Neasham also saddles My Oberon in Australia’s weight-for-age championship.
My Oberon commenced his Australian career winning the Group 2 Crystal Mile (1600m) on the Cox Plate card last year.
The seven-year-old has been a head scratcher for Neasham with two of his best performances coming on significantly wet tracks.
“When we bought him, we were told he likes dry tracks and his form suggested that,” Neasham said.
“His previous trainer William Haggas said I don’t think he will like a wet track, so he left us both surprised in the Doncaster when second on a bog just behind Mr Brightside and he wasn’t performing on the dry tracks.
“He’s comeback in great order and he’s had pretty firm tracks all the way through in this preparation and it hasn’t harmed him at all.
“I think he’s been running superb races and we saw that in the King Charles the other day when he was matching strides with Mr Brightside down the straight.
“He’s drawn a good gate here and I’m looking forward to getting him up to the 2000 (metres) as well.”