Melbourne Cup failure Southern France will get a second chance to show his European staying ability when he lines up in the Group 2 $300,000 Quayclean Zipping Classic (2400m) at Sandown on Saturday.
Humidor, above, is one of three runners for co-trainers Ciaron Maher and Daivd Eustace in the 2019 Zipping Classic at Sandown. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Southern France is one of three horses co-trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace has entered in the 2400m weight for age contest and the stable is expecting a better showing from the Irish import after finishing nineteenth in the Group 1 $8m Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington last Tuesday.
“Southern France came through the Cup run extremely well,” Eustace told AAP.
“Obviously the result was a little bit disappointing. The race didn’t pan out great for him.
“It’s going to be a small field without an awful lot of depth to it.”
Southern France has drawn barrier five in the ten horse Zipping Classic field and will be ridden again by his Melbourne Cup partner Mark Zahra.
Southern France was prepared by champion Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien for three wins in Ireland, his latest win was in the Group 3 €100,000 Irish St Leger Trial Stakes (1 mile, 6 furlongs) at the Curragh in August before finishing third in the Group 1 €600,000 Irish St Leger (1 mile, 6 furlongs) at the Curragh on September 15.
Maher and Eustace will also saddle multiple Group 1 winner Humidor and English import Dal Harraild in the Zipping Classic.
Damian Lane will stick with Humidor who has drawn barrier seven and will have the blinkers back on after finishing ninth in the Group 1 $2m Seppelt Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington last Saturday while Dal Harraild has the blinkers coming off and will jump from gate six with Ben Melham taking over the reins from Mark Zahra.
Final field for 2019 Zipping Classic (2400m)
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 333×000549 | HUMIDOR (NZ) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Damian Lane | 7 | 59kg | 110 |
| 2 | 0x80624754 | VENTURA STORM (IRE) | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Jye McNeil | 2 | 59kg | 101 |
| 3 | 5516×04287 | GALLIC CHIEFTAIN (FR) | Archie Alexander | Craig Williams | 4 | 59kg | 103 |
| 4 | 797×900660 | PATRICK ERIN (NZ) | Chris Waller | Michael Walker | 1 | 59kg | 101 |
| 5 | 7×32644130 | SOUTHERN FRANCE (IRE) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Mark Zahra | 5 | 59kg | 110 |
| 6 | 468223×760 | DAL HARRAILD (GB) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Ben Melham | 6 | 59kg | 102 |
| 7 | 319×090516 | MIDTERM (GB) | Michael & Luke Cerchi | Patrick Moloney | 10 | 59kg | 97 |
| 8 | x70304x736 | CHAPADA | Michael Moroney | James Winks | 3 | 58kg | 93 |
| 9 | 41220×0901 | SAVVY OAK (NZ) | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Luke Currie | 9 | 58kg | 91 |
| 10 | x147x27882 | MISS SISKA | Grahame Begg | – | 8 | 57kg | 96 |
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