Zipping Classic attracts quality field of stayers

Vow And Declare will be seeking back-to-back Zipping Classic victories on Saturday afternoon. (Photo: Scott Barbour/Racing Photos)

The Group 2 Zipping Classic will headline the final day of the Victorian Spring Racing Carnival at Caulfield on Saturday afternoon, with 11 stayers accepting for the $750,000 feature over 2400m.

The reigning champion, Vow And Declare (+450), will carry the number one saddlecloth as he attempts to win back-to-back Zipping Classics and join the likes of Sound, The Taj Mahal, Zipping and Second Wind to win the race multiple times.

After finishing second in the Group 1 Might And Power Stakes and Group 2 Moonee Valley Cup before running ninth in the Melbourne Cup, it is clear to see that the Danny O’Brien-trained stayer enters this year’s edition of the race in better form than last year.

Coming off a dominant win in the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Flemington during Cup week, Muramasa has opened as a +380 favourite with online bookmakers as he seeks a fourth consecutive win.

The Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young-trained galloper has only had 10 starts, but he is already a multiple Group 3 winner and will be looking to upstage his more seasoned rivals on Saturday.

Deny Knowledge (+400) from the Michael Kent yard was another strong performer during the Melbourne Cup Carnival, leading all the way to take out the Group 2 Matriarch Stakes.

The daughter of Pride Of Dubai will be the only mare lining up in the Caulfield feature, and after drawing barrier one, she appears to be the likely leader.

Duke De Sessa (+450) was well beaten by the race favourite in the Queen Elizabeth, while Heutor (+500) finished seventh, beaten by 2.85 lengths, in the Group 1 VRC Champions Stakes.

Although the Zipping Classic will be the highlight, the Group 2 Sandown Guineas, Group 3 Summoned Stakes, Group 3 Kevin Heffernan Stakes and Group 3 Eclipse Stakes will also feature on the massive 10-race program at Caulfield Racecourse.

2023 Zipping Classic Final Field

No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight
1	Vow And Declare	Danny O’Brien	Billy Egan	6	59kg
2	Huetor	Peter & Paul Snowden	Damian Lane	5	59kg
3	Amade	Phillip Stokes	Zac Spain	11	59kg
4	Military Mission	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Jye McNeil	10	59kg
5	Bankers Choice	Mike Moroney	John Allen	7	59kg
6	Serpentine	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Michael Dee	9	59kg
7	Duke De Sessa	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Mark Zahra	2	59kg
8	Port Philip	Julius Sandhu	Jamie Mott	3	59kg
9	Shock ‘Em Ova	Alex Rae	Craig Williams	8	59kg
10	Muramasa	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	Daniel Moor	4	58kg
11	Deny Knowledge	Michael Kent	Jamie Kah	1	57kg