REIGNING Warrnambool Grand Annual Steeplechase winner Zed Em is gearing up to score back-to-back victories in Australia's most famous jumping race for champion trainer Patrick Payne.
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Payne, who has won the Grand Annual four times in the last seven years, said Zed Em is doing pre-training work at the property of New Zealand horseman Kevin "Dummy" Myers. The nine-year-old was successful in the Von Doussa Steeplechase, the Great Eastern Steeplechase and the Grand Annual earlier this year and Zed Em will go down the same path in 2020.
"Zed Em is being set for another tilt at the Grand Annual," Payne said. "The plan is the same as this year. He'll run in the Von Doussa, Great Eastern and Grand Annual. I was speaking to Dummy the other night about Zed Em and he reported the horse is in great shape. It would be a remarkable feat if he could win the same three jumps features again. It was great to win this year's Grand Annual after he ran second beaten only by a short-half head by Gold Medals in 2018."
Zed Em, who is a dual winner of the Von Doussa and Great Eastern, lumped 70 kilograms to win this year's Grand Annual over the 5500 metres and 33 fences, will only have the three jumps races in 2020. "I would say we'll stick to the same formula as this year with Zed Em," Payne said. "He'll have the three jumps starts. He's just an outstanding jumper having won 13 of his 20 jumps starts. He seems to love Warrnambool and Oakbank because he can show his jumping ability around those courses. He's a champion jumper."
Payne revealed Zed Em's stablemate Sweet Lullaby will target the Grand Annual Steeplechase but his other star jumper Tallyho Twinkletoe is to be set for the Grand National Hurdle and Grand National Steeplechase. The lightly raced nine-year-old jumper won both races this year.
"The Grand National Hurdle and Steeplechase are the two jumps races on the agenda for Tallyho Twinkletoe next season," he said. "Both those races are at the end of the jumps season. It's too tough to have jumpers ready for the races like the Von Doussa and Great Eastern at the start of the season and to have them still going for the Grand National Hurdle and Steeplechase at the end of the season."
Payne's other Grand Annual winners are Awakening Dream in 2012, Chaparro in 2014 and No Song No Supper was successful in 2016.
Life award
PHILANTHROPIST Bill Gibbins and his wife Yolanda will be presented with life membership of the Warrnambool Racing Club at the running of the second Jericho Cup this Sunday. The inaugural Jericho Cup last year, the brainchild of Gibbins, was an outstanding success on the back of his massive financial commitment to the race after he read a book titled Bill The Bastard which celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Australian Light Horseman racing over three miles at Jericho in Palestine in an attempt to distract soldiers from World War One.
WRC chairman Nick Rule said it was fitting that Bill and Yolanda were acknowledged by the racing club for their significant contribution to the Jericho Cup and the club. "The Jericho Cup started from an idea that Bill came up with to remember the deeds of our past war heroes," Rule said. "The life membership to Bill and Yolanda is a small token we can give them. They have made a large financial four year commitment to the Jericho Cup and they have been long-time supporters of the club. We just want to say thanks for all they have done not only for the Warrnambool Racing Club but for racing in general over a long period of time."
Taking a spell
PROMISING Crossley trained galloper Nicajon is in the spelling paddock after running second to Living The Dream in a $50,000 race under lights at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
Trainer Quinton Scott said Nicajon was still a work in progress.
"His last two runs at the Valley have been excellent," Scott said. "He's been a slow maturing horse who is just starting to put it all together. I put him in the paddock on Saturday morning. We'll give him a few weeks break before setting him for winter races."
From his nine starts Nicajon has won more then $59,000 in stakemoney.
Apprentice plea
APPRENTICE jockey Teo Nugent will be on the sidelines for eight meetings after pleading guilty to a careless riding charge at Ballarat on Saturday.
The charge related to Nugent's ride on Bam On Fire in a restricted race. Stewards found the former Brauer College student allowed Bam On Fire to shift in when insufficiently clear of Hard Up (B. Egan) which was tightened between Turn The Tide and Bams On Fire, resulting in Egan having to restrain his mount. Nugent's suspension commenced at midnight November 23 and ends midnight November 29.
Stewards took into account his guilty plea, record, and that the carelessness was in the low-range before handing down the penalty. Bams On Fire ran third in the race.
Golden jockey
WARRNAMBOOL trainer Patrick Ryan has booked top jumps jockey Richard Cully to ride Golden Flag in the $300,000 Jericho Cup at Warrnambool this Sunday.
Ryan said Golden Flag will appreciate the weight drop from 69kgs and 69.5kgs at his last two starts to 64.5kgs for the cup which will be run on the flat through the paddocks over 4600 metres.
