Jockey Mark Zahra is eager to reunite with the stayer Middle Earth for the upcoming Melbourne Cup, having been out of action with the horse for nearly a year.
Zahra was instrumental in Middle Earth’s early development at Ciaron Maher’s stable, guiding the gelding to victory in the Australian Cup Prelude during its Australian debut.
Following his partnership with Middle Earth in the previous year’s Caulfield Cup, Zahra opted to ride Al Riffa in the Melbourne Cup. This decision unfortunately meant he missed out on the ride aboard Middle Earth for approximately twelve months.
Coincidentally, Middle Earth went on to secure third place in last year’s Cup, while Al Riffa finished seventh. Despite this, Zahra is more than content to be back in the saddle for the 3200-metre contest at Flemington on Tuesday.
“I jumped off him to ride Al Riffa last year and I think the owners weren’t happy, so I got a year ban, but I’m back on now,” Zahra stated.
“He ran well when I rode him in the Turnbull in a hard race and he’s going along nicely.”
Zahra observes a resemblance between Middle Earth’s current form and that of Gold Trip as it approached the Cup.
Gold Trip was the horse that provided Zahra with his first of two consecutive Cup victories in 2022.
Similar to Gold Trip, Middle Earth competed in the Cox Plate prior to the Melbourne Cup and wore blinkers, a piece of gear it will again sport in Tuesday’s race.
Zahra was recovering from his Caulfield Cup fall and unable to race when Middle Earth contested the Cox Plate, but he followed the race closely from home.
“I was watching a few that day, hoping they didn’t win, but I was watching him and hoping he would run well,” Zahra recalled.
“He didn’t win, but I thought he ran well.
“It was a different level of race to what he ran in last year (JRA Cup), but what I wanted to see was him hitting the line.
“I think Ciaron ran the same path the year Gold Trip won, blinkers on in the Cox Plate and then up to the Melbourne Cup and Ciaron has set him specifically for this race after he won at Eagle Farm in the winter.
“I like the planning for the horse. He ran third in it last year and is in it with a great chance.”
Zahra is renowned for his prowess in major races, having recently partnered with Maher to win the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) with The Next Episode at Flemington on Saturday.
However, he highlighted that a Melbourne Cup victory is in a class of its own.
“I think once you have success in the Melbourne Cup, the Caulfield Cup and these big races, you long for that feeling,” Zahra expressed.
“Going to Flemington, you look around, the numbers, it gets me right up and about.
“It’s a race you want to win and once you’ve achieved it, you become confident and you really embrace these big days.”
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