Zou Sensation set for Group 1 after third straight win at Flemington

The Australian

04-08-2025

Zou Sensation secured a third straight win under a confident Jamie Melham to earn a shot at a Group 1 next month.
Zou Sensation will be aimed at the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) next month at Caulfield after a third straight win.
The in-form Zoustar gelding, trained by Leon and Troy Corstens and Will Larkin, raced keenly early and through the middle stages but maintained a strong gallop under 'passenger' Jamie Melham.
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Melham rolled forward from barrier 10, hopeful of being able to settle nicely, but Zou Sensation had other ideas.
It mattered not at the finish though for the stable, jockey and connections as Zou Sensation held off Running By and Fortunate Kiss.
'I was an absolute passenger then,' Melham said.
'From the wide draw I thought that might happen, I wanted to let him bounce and be where he was but the second we landed he was just in too much of a good mood.
'For him to win like that is very impressive. The team has got this horse absolutely peaking.
'He's run so well, I just wish he would control himself early because he'd be next level this horse, anyway, he's winning so we're happy.' â€' 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) August 2, 2025
• Crossbow aims higher after maiden win at Flemington
Despite the run, Melham felt comfortable in the straight when challenged.
'He's such an arrogant horse, he was always going to win and when they got to him and he pinned his ears back,' Melham said.
'He wasn't going to let them pass him. He's just an arrogant horse, he knows he's good.'
Larkin said Zou Sensation warranted Sir Rupert Clarke consideration.
'He's definitely a horse starting to put his hand up as someone who could probably go to the Rupert Clarke,' Larkin said.
'We'll look at that and how he gets there we'll work it out.'
Larkin said Zou Sensation would appreciate racing in the better grades where the tempo is faster.
'He's definitely a better horse when he's chasing and allowed to get cover,' Larkin said.
'In those better races there's going to be better tempo and he's going to be allowed to do that.'
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Discreet win worth the wait
Faithful punters of Too Darn Discreet, regardless of weight, were rewarded on Saturday as the Dan O'Sullivan-trained mare saluted at Flemington.
A handicapping error early in the week, which issued Group 2-winner Too Darn Discreet an enviable 54.5kg for the 1620m Benchmark 84, led to an early market push.
However, once sorted out and the correct 57kg allotted, which Too Darn Discreet carried Saturday, the mare eased out to $26 after being as short as $12 during the week.
Controversy aside, O'Sullivan was thrilled to get another result with Too Darn Discreet, a multiple stakes' winner last spring.
'We were very pleased with the way she was working at home,' O'Sullivan said.
'Controversial during the week, she had to be re-handicapped, that was an error that hadn't been picked up… I'm glad it happened before the race (avoided disqualification otherwise).'
Too Darn Discreet had pleased O'Sullivan at home despite another lucklustre first-up performance.
'She was a bit slow out (at Caulfield) and got a little bump,' O'Sullivan said.
'They just rolled along that fast in the early part of the race, it took her out of her comfort zone.
'She was strong to the line and got to the line good, for some reason you probably (forget) her three first-up performances now… she's just failed.'
Too Darn Discreet has now won two of three starts second-up.
O'Sullivan has sights on 2000m options in the spring, with decisions to be made on whether to take on the boys again or revert to mares' grade. Horse Racing
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