Hardy Zou Sensation bidding for another Stakes success

MELBOURNE – Time flies and 12 months is a long time for a thoroughbred to be up and going, but that is how long Zou Sensation has been in work, with the gelding yet to show co-trainer Troy Corstens that it is time for a break.

A combination of moving between city and country has agreed with the six-year-old, and if the strength of recent form stands up, he is right in contention for the A$175,000 (S$151,000) Listed Kensington Stakes (1,400m) at Flemington on Dec 31.

Zou Sensation has had at least one run a month since May, and in those 10 outings, a win in the Listed Weekend Hussler Stakes (1,400m) at Caulfield on Oct 11 is among them.

Yet, it was the Zoustar gelding’s last-start fourth in the A$1 million Supernova (1,400m) at Pakenham on Dec 13 – won by the Ciaron Maher-trained Warnie – that had Corstens especially upbeat about his continued good form.

“It was a really good race, the Supernova, and if you said it was a Group 1 race, you’d nearly agree with that,” said Corstens, who trains Zou Sensation in partnership with his father Leon and Will Larkin.

“(Jockey) Ben Allen is not back (from leave), so Jamie Melham will ride him.”

Zou Sensation’s preparation effectively started in late 2024 in readiness for the Magic Millions Cup (1,400m) on the Gold Coast last January.

The Corstens’ farm property near Geelong has played a major part in the bay gelding’s toughness and longevity, along with their training centre at Flemington.

“The thing with him is that now that we’ve got the farm, he goes up there for four or five days after each race, where he works in the morning and goes out in the paddock for the day,” added Corstens.

“If I wasn’t happy with him after the four or five days, I’d give him a break, but he came back bouncing.

“It is just something that really suits him and he’s been up for a year now, but he has been looking for an excuse to tip him out.

“The majority of the horses enjoy it – even the revvy fillies. I wish I had done this 10 years ago.

“I reckon we get another three or four extra runs out of them, which allows our owners to get more bang for their buck.”

For now, Zou Sensation’s long preparation could continue.

“If he shows me he needs a spell, then we will. But if he keeps going well, then we don’t need to send him out just because we think we should,” said Corstens.

Zou Sensation is rated the 19-5 second-elect in the Kensington Stakes with the Symon Wilde-trained Persian Spirit the 19-20 favourite.

The third favourite is Grid Girl, trained by Ben, Will and J.D. Hayes, on 15-2.

A picket fence preparation can continue for Grid Girl at Flemington as the mare has her first attempt in a “black type” race in the Listed Kensington Stakes on New Year’s Eve.

After three wins in succession in as many runs this preparation, connections has higher aims for the Time Test mare at Flemington later on, should the five-year-old be able to keep raising the bar.

J.D. Hayes has the expectation that she can.

“She’s gone to another level,” he said.

“She’s really come of age and she’s racing well, honest and consistent, and I can’t see why she can’t measure up at ‘black type’ level.”

Grid Girl made the trip to Rosehill and won, albeit narrowly, in a Benchmark 94 company (1,400m) on Dec 7, notched a ratings figure of 106 and etched herself in stakes company on that basis.

“She used to do a fair bit wrong and I think it has all come with racing and age,” said Hayes.

“She used to be quite keen in her races and she seems to have dropped that habit, and it has culminated with her being able to finish a lot more strongly.

“She is probably similar to what Marble Arch did at the same age. Her (Grid Girl) win in Sydney was dominant in that she was in for a dogfight and didn’t give up.”

Marble Arch is her six-year-old stablemate who took out the Group 2 Blamey Stakes (1,600m) at Flemington on March 1.

Grid Girl has drawn barrier one in the field of nine, while the Lindsay Park team also has Run Harry Run and Roll On High engaged in the Kensington Stakes.

“Roll On High likes Flemington and I think she can bounce back there,” said Hayes. RACING AND SPORTS