Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Bursting with confidence, star jockey Mark Zahra has bounced back from his nasty fall and believes boom colt The Next Episode is his best chance of further Group 1 success on Victoria Derby day.
The two-time Melbourne Cup-winning hoop’s preparation for this year’s Flemington carnival was rocked two weeks ago when he was sent to hospital after a Caulfield Cup fall aboard Half Yours.
Ohope Wins was brought down and euthanised on-course as a result of an injury from what was ultimately reviewed as a racing incident, with all jockeys cleared of fault.
Zahra was left nursing a badly bruised lung and ribs, and sat out Cox Plate day under doctors’ orders.
“I was angry,” Zahra said.
“I thought it was going to run really well and I had some cracking dinner reservations that night, but I had to spend it in hospital.
“It’s no issue (mentally) for me. I’m looking forward to getting back on a horse. I can’t wait.
“It (the short break) was a blessing now. I’m going to have a busy week, so I need to be 100 per cent.”
Zahra was the hero of Derby day last year when he won four consecutive races, including two of the three Group 1 events on offer, and is not without a chance of repeating that stunning haul.
The 44-year-old West Australian rides Ciaron Maher-trained pair Vallice and The Next Episode in the $3 million Victoria Derby (2500m) and $2 million Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) respectively at Flemington on Saturday.
He’ll also partner with Idle Flyer for Matthew Smith in the $1 million Empire Rose Stakes (1600m).
Zahra believes favourite The Next Episode will run well in a race that can instantly turn a colt into a multimillion-dollar breeding prospect, but doesn’t feel extra pressure associated with the riches on offer for connections.
“Not really. It’s not my money, but I want to go out there and do the best I can,” Zahra said.
“If I give the horse every chance and it gets beaten, then I’ve done all I can. But I look forward to the challenge.
“I’m really looking forward to riding him and this race can make or break them.
“The horse can be worth $30 million or $500,000, so it’s a massive race for owners and the horses.
“I’m geed up, the horse is flying, and I think he’s going to be hard to beat.”
Zahra will ride last year’s Melbourne Cup third placegetter Middle Earth for Maher on Tuesday in the race that stops a nation, and is oozing confidence heading into the carnival.
“Once you have success in big races you long for that feeling,” Zahra said.
“When I walk in here (Flemington) I just look around and coming in (on race day) with the crowd, that gets me right up and about.
“They’re the races you want to win and once you’ve achieved it you become quite confident and really start to embrace these big days.
“I feel like that’s how I am now.”
