Cantala, not Everest, more likely for Gilgai winner Zoutori
Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra will consider targeting Zoutori at the Cantala Stakes over a mile, rather than The Everest, after his Gilgai Stakes victory at Flemington on Saturday.
The son of Zoustar put together two straight wins over the 1200-metre trip, both times knocking off hot favourite Tofane, who is already guaranteed an Everest start.
Zoutori, ridden by Jamie Kah, narrowly wins the Gilgai Stakes.Credit:Getty Images
But Ellerton said he was planning on stepping the five-year-old gelding up to a mile this preparation.
"I think we're being realistic [not thinking about The Everest] and we'll plot a course at home," he said.
"We're maybe thinking about the Cantala Stakes. But that may change. We tried him right-handed once when he was three and he turned the porridge up in Brisbane. We were thinking about getting him out to a mile this prep, so it is just something that we'll think about for now."
Tofane had no luck during the run under Damien Oliver, held up a number of times late to finish fifth from Zoutori, Kemalpasa, Dollar For Dollar and Kementari.
"[Oliver] said he made a bit of a mistake," Tofane's trainer Mike Moroney said.
''He thought he was going to get a run to the outside rather than coming in, but it just never happened. She's pulled up fine and it’s onwards and upwards."
Meanwhile, jockey Mark Zahra said Santa Ana Lane didn't let down on the firm track at Flemington.
Winning rider Jamie Kah, who on Friday night was announced as the new rider for Melbourne Cup contender Prince Of Arran, said Zoutori was tough late when it mattered.
"He's had to really fight for it today," she said.
"There were some nice horses around and they made it difficult for him. He was very strong and determined late. 'Dollars' [Dollar For Dollar] is a hard horse to get past and I’ve never had to chase him down before, but he was probably peaking late and probably had enough before the line but he stuck his nose out and won."
Top jockey Michael Walker has developed a successful partnership with Melbourne owners Ozzie Kheir and John O'Neill and their partners, and he landed the group 2 spoils for the ownership group aboard Sierra Sue, who only got into the field for the Rose of Kingston Stakes as an emergency.
Walker drew a wide alley on the daughter of New Zealand sire Darci Brahma but rode a patient race to get her on to the rails and then sweated on the gap coming late.
The split eventually materialised, and Sierra Sue surged through the gap late to win going away from She Sho Fly and Missile Mantra, setting herself up for a tilt at the group 1 Empire Rose Stakes during the Flemington Cup week carnival.
''I was just lucky enough I had the horse under me,'' Walker said. ''I told Oz, Johnny O'Neill and all the connections that other than Tagaloa [their Blue Diamond winner and Caulfield Guineas hope] she was the best they had got.
''I was pretty confident until the draw came out, I spoke to Oz today and said 'lets go back' and we have found a new way to ride her. She's top class, I promise you.''
Damien Ractliffe is the Chief Racing Reporter for The Age.
Michael Lynch is The Age's chief soccer reporter and also reports on motor sport and horseracing