Champion jockey Damien Oliver could feel the touch of class that Zoustyle possesses and hopes that can carry him to victory at Moonee Valley.
Queensland visitor Zoustyle lines up in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1000m) on Saturday with Oliver hoping the rain stays away.
Oliver partnered the Tony Gollan-trained sprinter in a gallop at The Valley on Tuesday morning getting a sense of his ability and hopes the track will improve on its Soft 6 rating from early on Friday morning.
Heavy rain on Monday night soaked The Valley circuit ahead of gallops on Tuesday morning with many reporting the going to be quite heavy.
But for Oliver, it was important he got to have a sit on Zoustyle ahead of Saturday’s contest.
“He’s a lovely big horse and has got a big stride,” Oliver said.
“He probably wasn’t suited on the heavy ground, so I’d like to see him on a drier track.
“He’s got good speed, but it will all come down to how the track races and I would certainly like to see an improving track for him.”
At his most recent outing, Zoustyle led in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m), in May, before tiring in the run home to finish ninth, while his most recent victory came in the Group 3 George Moore Stakes (1200m) at Doomben in December.
Zoustyle is a speedy sprinter that likes to roll along up front in his races and with the rail back in the true position for Saturday’s race he may get conditions to suit.
But Oliver is not expecting an easy time despite there being just six rivals in the weight-for-age contest.
“You don’t get too many cheap sectionals in sprint races at The Valley, but he is a horse with plenty of speed,” Oliver said.
