Danny O’Brien’s 2019 Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare continues to show a zest for racing and lines-up as one of the top fancies for his title defence in Caulfield’s 2023 Zipping Classic on Saturday.
Vow And Declare defends his title in the 2023 Zipping Classic at Caulfield this weekend. Photo: Steve Hart.
The eight-year-old son of Declaration Of War comes off his fourth Melbourne Cup appearance running a credible ninth on the first Tuesday of November.
Given a little freshen-up he is back for a final spring assignment in the Group 2 $750,000 Zipping Classic (2400m).
He won the mile and a half showdown last Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival on the back of a 10th in the Melbourne Cup behind Gold Trip.
This season he has been in solid form and is looking to secure his first win since claiming this race 12 months ago.
Billy Egan rides the evergreen veteran in the now small Zipping Classic field that is down to eight runners following the scratching of Huetor (5), Serpentine (6), and Shock ‘Em Ova (8).
The latest Zipping Classic odds at Ladbrokes.com.au have Vow And Declare at $4.60 to go back-to-back in the event and emulate Sound (2020-21) who was the last to win multiple editions.
Current favourite in Zipping Classic betting at $3.70 and firming is the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Duke De Sessa.
Melbourne Cup winning jockey Mark Zahra has the ride on the market mover who has been well supported after opening at $6.
Duke De Sessa gets a gun run from barrier two and presents fit fifth-up here with the Lope De Vega five-year-old last seen finishing third on November 11 in Flemington’s Group 3 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m).
It is a wide-open race and a further three runners under $10 for the win including the airborne Muramasa ($4.20) in gate four with Daniel Moor aboard.
The Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young-trained gelding chases a fourth win on the trot this prep and has support to keep the streak going.
The four-year-old son of Deep Impact has been good working his way through the grades this campaign.
He has winning form at the Caulfield track two back as a three-quarter length winner of the Group 3 Coongy Cup (2000m) with less weight.
Last time out on Stakes Day he saluted by 2.5 lengths in the Queen Elizabeth at headquarters.
This is tougher and he is up from 54kg to 58kg but the ease of his lead-up victory suggests over the 2400m and fit he can be competitive again.
The rails-drawn Deny Knowledge ($5) from the Michael Kent stable and the Michael Moroney-trained Bankers Choice ($8.50) complete the single-figure fancies.
Classy Pride Of Dubai mare Deny Knowledge was fourth at 40/1 two back in the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) before posting a narrow win in the Group 2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m) on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Jamie Kah continues associations on the in-form six-year-old with the mare having her first run over the extended distance.
The 2023 Zipping Classic is set to run as Caulfield Race 8 at 4:20pm (AEDT) with full markets from Ladbrokes.com.au available by clicking here.
2023 Zipping Classic Final Field & Barrier Draw
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Probable Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22460×0229 | VOW AND DECLARE | Danny O’Brien | Billy Egan | 6 | 59kg | 106 | ||
| 2 | 653216×067 | HUETOR (FR) | Peter & Paul Snowden | Damian Lane | 5 | 59kg | 108 | ||
| 3 | 83300×9515 | AMADE (IRE) | Phillip Stokes | Zac Spain | 11 | 59kg | 101 | ||
| 4 | 19×9201410 | MILITARY MISSION (IRE) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Jye McNeil | 10 | 59kg | 103 | ||
| 5 | 2598×73566 | BANKERS CHOICE (NZ) | Michael Moroney | John Allen | 7 | 59kg | 102 | ||
| 6 | 0x129x2430 | SERPENTINE (IRE) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Michael Dee | 9 | 59kg | 100 | ||
| 7 | 131x8x0693 | DUKE DE SESSA (IRE) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Mark Zahra | 2 | 59kg | 104 | ||
| 8 | 0100×75809 | PORT PHILIP (IRE) | Julius Sandhu | Jamie Mott | 3 | 59kg | 85 | ||
| 9 | 1x822x2113 | SHOCK ’EM OVA (NZ) | Alex Rae | Craig Williams | 8 | 59kg | 86 | ||
| 10 | 25x900x111 | MURAMASA | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Daniel Moor | 4 | 58kg | 102 | ||
| 11 | 931×173641 | DENY KNOWLEDGE (IRE) | Michael Kent | Ms Jamie Kah | 1 | 57kg | 103 |
Table Credit: Racing
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