Racing
True warrior to continue Sensational run
Even the stable is surprised how Zou Sensation keeps going again, and again.
It is like he's the horse that just will not quit as Zou Sensation steps out again at Caulfield on Saturday.
The gelding's current preparation has been going for more than a year and while trainers Leon and Troy Corstens and Will Larkin have been looking for signs from the horse indicating the time for a break, that is still yet to come.
Zou Sensation rounded out 2025 by winning the Listed Kensington Stakes (1400m) on the New Year's Eve card at Flemington.
The six-year-old lines up here in the Listed John Dillon Stakes (1400m) at a track where he has won three times in five outings since May.
"We can't fault him," Will said.
"If there were any faults from his last start to now, he'd be in the paddock but the true warrior that he is, he keeps copping everything we throw at him and he came through the run really well.
"His gallop work has been super and his he was nice and fresh down at the beach this week.
"I can't see why he can't hold the form."
Zou Sensation has firmed from $3.90 when markets opened on Wednesday into $2.90 with the only downside – if any - Larkin sees being the 59-kilo impost though Jamie Melham stays aboard from the last outing.
"He just loves his racing and we just keep things simple with him sending him up the farm between runs where he gets his head down the paddock," Larkin added.
"I think he can carry the weight."
The Malua Racing team also have $5 chance Superlicious starting third-up in the Remembering Ted Ryan (1400m).
Larkin said they were reluctant to start the mare in the 'wrong race' and have opted for Caufield over Pakenham on Friday night.
"She is definitely ready to go," Larkin said.
"I really want to get another win with her. 15 starts for one win, she deserves to be a lot more than that.
"She's been tested in really good races and four or five times stakes placed. It isn't that she's not good enough to win more races but like with her last start she was last on the corner and finished fifth not beaten far reeling off the fastest last 600 and 200 sectionals.
"She's just got a habit of drawing bad gates."
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