Zin Zan Eddie ready to fire in Winter Dash

Zin Zan Eddie will return from a let-up in the Winter Dash on Saturday. Picture: Jenny Evans
Zin Zan Eddie will return from a let-up in the Winter Dash on Saturday. Picture: Jenny EvansSource: News Corp Australia
Ray Thomas from The Daily Telegraph

ZIN Zan Eddie is ready to recapture the form that swept him to a career-best stakes success last summer when he resumes from a let-up in the Winter Dash (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.

Trainer Matthew Smith said Zin Zan Eddie is in better shape now than when he was well beaten first-up behind subsequent Group 1 winner Music Magnate in the Hall Mark Stakes in April.

“I feel he is more forward now than he was when he resumed in the Hall Mark Stakes,’’ Smith said. “Although he has had about two months between runs he has stayed in work and is ready to go back to the races.

“He’s going really well and I was very happy with his trial effort alongside Ammirata earlier this month. I don’t think he is too far off the form he was in when he won the Carrington Stakes back in January.’’

Zin Zan Eddie is reasonably well in at the weights for a stakes winner with 56kg in the Winter Dash. The feature sprint has attracted a field of 12 runners including former Hong Kong stakes performer Smart Volatility, who has topweight of 61kg, ahead of the consistent Inz’n’Out on 57.5kg.

Smith also has the handy Princess Ailani resuming in the De Bortoli Wines Handicap (1000m), while stable star Palazzo Pubblico chases Group 1 glory in the $500,000 Tatt’s Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm.

“All the horses are fit and well and it is good to be taking competitive chances to these Saturday races,’’ Smith said.

One of the more interesting races on the Randwick program is the Can Assist Volunteers Plate (1200m) for two-years-olds which has seven last-start winners in the 12-horse field, including Godolphin’s promising Morton’s Fork, unbeaten youngsters Russian Revolution and Treviso, and Paul Perry’s talented filly Conchita.

The Randwick meeting has 113 final acceptors across the nine races but with the movable rail out 9m, it limits the field sizes to 13 runners in the sprint races.

Matthew Smith says Zin Zan Eddie isn’t too far off his best form. Picture: Mark EvansSource: News Corp Australia