SYDNEY, Thursday 2 September, 2010 - The Tramway Handicap is expected to be short of Jessicabeel's best but trainer John O'Shea believes she has returned in great order for her Melbourne Cup preparation.

The five-year-old Zabeel mare resumes in Saturday's Group Three event over 1400m at Randwick in her first start since becoming a Group One winner of the Sydney Cup (3200m) in April.

Jessicabeel will be joined in the Tramway by stablemate Snapy Halo, who hasn't raced since his sixth in the Doncaster Mile.

O'Shea said all the indications were that Jessicabeel had returned an improved mare this time in work.

"We haven't seen the barriers or the way the track is playing and all that sort of thing yet, but on a fair track I expect her to be hitting the line strongly on Saturday," O'Shea said.

"I just expect her to run well because I couldn't be happier with her."

Jessicabeel really came of age as a stayer in the autumn.

After finishing ninth first-up in a 1400m race at Rosehill she then ran third in both the Listed Aspiration Quality (1600m) and Epona Stakes (1900m) before winning the Group Two Chairman's Handicap (2600m) and Group One Sydney Cup (3200m).

"The form around her is good and she's made good improvement as you would expect from a five-year-old Zabeel mare," O'Shea said.

"She's continued an upward spiral and she's a bigger and stronger mare."

Jessicabeel was given 52.5kg for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups when weights were released on Wednesday while stablemate Zabrasive was given 53kg.

"That's exactly what we expected," O'Shea said.

"Jessicabeel carried 52 kilos in the Sydney Cup when she was probably entitled to carry 48 with what she'd done. She was dominant in good time and 52.5 is a weight where we're still going to be competitive."

Snapy Halo's sixth in the Group One Doncaster Mile showed the six-year-old entire had the capability to be competitive in good races again this spring with O'Shea looking at some of the feature 1600m races as possible targets.

"He has run sixth in a very, very strong Doncaster, beaten just over two and a half lengths and that itself is going to have him in the mix (in some good races)," O'Shea said.

The trainer said Snapy Halo was still "pretty burly" and would improve with racing under his belt heading towards races like the Epsom Handicap in Sydney or Toorak Handicap in Melbourne.

Once let gallop out in the lead Kerilla got into a nice rhythm and appreciated the tactic when approaching the turn she had her opposition all in trouble.

Working up the run home she stuck to the rail and fought doggedly to the line to hold on and gain a most satisfied victory.

“This is a nice result for Simon & Terry from OTI and the mare has come along way since joining us and she is now a Metropolitan winner,” O’Shea mentioned.

O’Shea also had two close second placing with Smokin’ Gun earlier in the day and Not A Snip A Doubt just nosed out in the final race on the card.

“I think the mile will suit and the fact that she will roll forward with 2kg off her back will really stand in good stead for when the whips are cracking, it’s the happiest I have been with her.”

The ever consistent Not A Snip A Doubt will give a great sight in the Benchmark 70 Handicap over 1100 m and champion hoop Corey Brown has been engaged to ride.

“Well, Not A Snip A Doubt is probably our strongest chance tomorrow he is going particularly well and on paper it appears to be a race with ample speed which will suit him,”

“He will be attacking the line late, he does go up in weight but a senior rider and how happy we are with of his overall well being we expect him to be extremely competitive.”

Kiwi import by sire of the moment High Chaparral, Smokin’ Gun has his second start under O’Shea’s charge and O’Shea said he is likely to run a cheeky race over 1600 m.

“I thought Smokin’ Gun gets in well at the weights and its race to see where we are at with him but he has come on tremendously since his first up effort and although it is a trip which will be short of his best he goes into the race in great order,”

“He is probably just one run off when we see him coming into his own.” O’Shea added.

The impressive last start winner who has put two on the bounce together now is Private Label who looks to be an improving type.

“Corey has done a bit of work with this horse and he is going really well, he will need to use his gate speed from the 2 alley just so he doesn’t get shuffled back on the fence but we will leave that in Corey’s capable hands.”

“The horse is working very strongly and ticks a lot of boxes to run well tomorrow, fit, healthy and he has a good blood profile.” O’Shea commented.

O’Shea will have a big team of runners over Wyong’s big two days on Thursday and Friday and also at headquarters on Saturday with the return of Sydney Cup winner Jessicabeel highlighting his big team at Randwick.

Trainer John O’Shea was happy enough with the Group 1 winning Zabeel geldings effort.

“He had to kick off some where and that was his first go at weight for age against the best gallopers in the land,”

“It was a nice pipe opener for him and he was simply out sprinted, going forward we are very happy with where he is at, he has pulled up in good order and will continue onto the Underwood now and take significant improvement from yesterday.” O’Shea explained.

Rider Craig Newitt said it was a very good starting point for Zabrasive.

“He gave me a super feel and had no issue in getting around Caulfield, once I gave him a bum to follow he travelled beautifully,” Newitt said.

“It was his first go at weight for age and as we start getting over a trip he will be there when it counts, John has him in great order going forward.”
Zabrasive will now go back to Caulfield and run second up in the Group 1 WFA Underwood Stakes over 1800 m, Saturday 18^th September.

The start of this road will be this Saturday at Caulfield in the Memsie Stakes (1400 m) with Group 1 Rosehill Guineas winner Zabrasive commencing his Spring campaign.

“Zabrasive has settled into our Flemington base really well and gained some weight and is nice and fresh,”

“He goes into Saturday off only the one trial and has fair bit more to come, and it’s obviously a distance far short of what he is most effective at, in what looks a super field of gallopers.”  O’Shea commented.

“She is well and is very big in condition but the racing will bring her on and as she gets over more ground her ability to attack the line in the manner in which she does will come to the fore in the latter part of her preparation.” O’Shea offered.

At Rosehill Gardens O’Shea will saddle two competitive chances in Music Review and the ever improving Legsman.

“Music Review is right in Saturday’s race her best performances have arguably been second up at a mile and on Saturday she is second up off a break over 1800 m, so that in itself reads well.”

“She’s trained on in great order.”

“Legsman had a case to win the race the other day, however he gets his chance tomorrow as it does look a nice race for him and he is getting to 2000 m which he will appreciate.”