Pre-race favourite Zaaki dominates in $5 million All Star Mile

Tom Naghten

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Pre-race favourite Zaaki dominates in $5 million All Star Mile image

Pre-race favourite Zaaki has taken out the $5 million All Star Mile with a dominant performance at Flemington on Saturday.

The Annabel Neasham-trained gelding had the perfect run, aided by an expert steer from Jamie Kah.

Zaaki jumped at $2.40 despite starting in barrier 15 but any concerns were allayed as the seven-year-old gelding found an ideal spot near the speed.

Callsign Mav led the race for most of the running before Zaaki took over ahead of the 300m mark and was never headed, passing the post a length and a half clear.

Take a look at the finish below.

I’m Thunderstruck finished second for Jye McNeil and Mick Price while roughie Streets Of Avalon rounded out the placings.

After the race, Neasham said she had been a nervous wreck in the build up.

“I don’t know why I was worried at the top of the straight but I needn’t have been. He’s just unbelievable," Neasham said.

“I’ve been a mess all day, I get very nervous when he’s running. It feels a bit like relief and elation as well. I just can’t believe it."

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Kah, who was last year suspended for a COVID-19 breach, spoke about the biggest win of her illustrious career.

“It just means so much more after coming back from what we had to go through and I missed out on possibly so many big opportunities through the spring," Kah said.

“It’s pretty simple when you ride a horse like him, you’ve just got to get him into his rhythm and he’s just an absolute machine when you let him do his thing."

Kah also paid tribute to Neasham for her support.

“It’s pretty special. She’s just an absolute legend, she doesn’t put too many instructions or plans in your head," Kah said of the trainer.

"She’s backed me all the way through, we were booked for this horse quite a while out for this race and she’s supported me through everything in the last year.

"She deserves it, the owners deserve it and I’m pretty happy I was the one that got to sit on him.”

 

Tom Naghten

Tom Naghten Photo

Tom Naghten is a senior editor at The Sporting News Australia where he's been part of the team since 2017. He predominantly covers boxing and MMA. In his spare time, he likes to watch Robbie Ahmat's goal against the Kangaroos at the SCG in 2000.