Thinking about what might have been is invariably a pointless exercise, but trainer Tony Vasil can justifiably indulge himself when it comes to his iron horse Zazzman.
"I feel sick every time I think about She's Archie in the Melbourne Cup," Vasil said after Zazzman's win in the group 2 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2500m) at Flemington yesterday.
She's Archie finished second to Makybe Diva in the Melbourne Cup and Zazzman, who was not entered for the race, had beaten her in the Geelong Cup on October 22.
Not that Vasil is complaining too much. Zazzman's win wound up Vasil's best Melbourne Cup carnival, highlighted by the win of Elvstroem in the Victoria Derby eight days ago.
Zazzman also won the 2800 metres "cup consolation" last Tuesday, taking his winning sequence to four, and he will line up again on Saturday in the $500,000 Sandown Classic (2400m).
"He's flying," Vasil said of Zazzman, whose earlier career had been interrupted by various problems. Vasil has every right to think the six-year-old would have given a good account of himself in the Melbourne Cup, but yesterday's $200,000 race was a reasonable consolation and few stayers get to win four on the trot, including two at group level.
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Zazzman, a remarkable drifter in the betting from $2.70 to $5, won by three-quarters of a length from Lord Erin, who firmed from $7 to $6.50, with Delvecchio ($9) half-a-length away third.
Zazzman likes to race forward and he had to work hard to get into second place leaving the straight the first time, but could not get past Acquiver, so Kerrin McEvoy settled in second place.
With 56.5 kilograms, Zazzman could have been excused for feeling the pinch after his early tussle for the lead but he was as strong as any of his rivals in the straight.
