THE Caulfield and Melbourne cups build-up for the John O'Shea-trained Zabrasive was cranked up a notch at Flemington yesterday, with the Rosehill Guineas winner fitted with blinkers in preparation for Sunday's Turnbull Stakes at the same track, reports Craig Young in the Sydney Morning Herald.His report adds: Zabrasive accounted for his Sydney Cup-winning stablemate Jessicabeel, which will also run in Sunday's group 1 race.O'Shea will start Argentine import Snapy Halo in Saturday's Epsom Handica

THE Caulfield and Melbourne cups build-up for the John O'Shea-trained Zabrasive was cranked up a notch at Flemington yesterday, with the Rosehill Guineas winner fitted with blinkers in preparation for Sunday's Turnbull Stakes at the same track, reports Craig Young in the Sydney Morning Herald.

His report adds: Zabrasive accounted for his Sydney Cup-winning stablemate Jessicabeel, which will also run in Sunday's group 1 race.

O'Shea will start Argentine import Snapy Halo in Saturday's Epsom Handicap at Randwick. The trainer secured the services of his former champion apprentice Tim Clark for the ride on Snapy Halo after Craig Newitt, who is the jockey for Zabrasive, was given a release to partner last Saturday's Bill Ritchie Stakes winner Drumbeats.

Trainer Peter Snowden, however, refused to confirm that Drumbeats would run in the 1600m group 1 Epsom.

''I'll be discussing it with the team tonight, it is unlikely he'll be running but it is not set in concrete,'' Snowden said yesterday. ''I don't want to back him up, the plan was to go down for the Toorak on Saturday week.''

Another under a cloud for Randwick on Saturday is Gai Waterhouse's The Metropolitan favourite Herculian Prince. The former Kiwi was sent out the $1.40 favourite in last Saturday's Colin Stephen Quality at Randwick and after leading compounded to finish last of five runners.

Waterhouse had considered missing The Metropolitan but Herculian Prince pulled up fine on Sunday and the all clear was given to run. Herculian Prince's jockey, Nash Rawiller, will not be in action at Canterbury today due to a nasty trackwork fall at Randwick last Friday morning. ''He pulled up a bit gingerly after riding last Saturday,'' Racing NSW chief steward Ray Murrihy said. Rawiller was due to ride Ervana in the second race at Canterbury today, but O'Shea has secured Hugh Bowman for the ride.

Snapy Halo, meanwhile, goes into the Epsom having finished last behind More Joyous and Epsom rival Trusting in last Saturday's group 1 George Main Stakes. ''He is open to improvement, put it that way,'' O'Shea said. ''It was the first time he has disappointed me since arriving from Argentina. He might have had excuses, he was second-up, he was on the fence but he did have a beautiful run in the race.''