Zaaki
Zaaki did well to finish third behind Century Dream in the Diomed Stakes. The defection of Marie's Diamond deprived the race of a confirmed front-runner, with the result that James Doyle dictated the fractions to suit his own horse Century Dream, and he ultimately wasn't for catching. Zaaki was keener than ideal early on, on his first run since he ran in the Hong Kong Mile in December. Even so, he picked up when Ryan Moore asked him to at the two-furlong marker, but his run just flattened out a little, he just couldn't catch a talented rival who had enjoyed an easy lead, and he was just run down late on by King Of Comedy for the runner-up spot.
Zaaki's best form is on fast ground. He won the Diomed Stakes last year at Epsom on fast ground, and he won the Group 3 Strensall Stakes at York on fast ground, and he was only just beaten by Beat The Bank on fast ground at Ascot last July in the Summer Mile. The ground was just on the easy side of good at Newbury on Saturday, so he should do even better when he can get back on fast ground. He should do better too with this run under his belt, and the two best runs of his life have been at Ascot, on the round course and the straight course, so he will be of particular interest if and when he returns to Ascot.
Newbury, 13th June 2020
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