Pat Hyland doesn't expect Zarita to upset star performer Weekend Hussler in Saturday's Underwood Stakes at Caulfield but he hasn't completely given up on the idea.Hyland has spent a lifetime in racing, firstly as a top jockey winning races such as the Golden Slipper, Cox Plate, Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup and later as a trainer of Group One winners Saleous and Zarita.While he acknowledges Weekend Hussler is a high class horse, he knows that not even the best ones always win."They can all be

Pat Hyland doesn't expect Zarita to upset star performer Weekend Hussler in Saturday's Underwood Stakes at Caulfield but he hasn't completely given up on the idea.

Hyland has spent a lifetime in racing, firstly as a top jockey winning races such as the Golden Slipper, Cox Plate, Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup and later as a trainer of Group One winners Saleous and Zarita.

While he acknowledges Weekend Hussler is a high class horse, he knows that not even the best ones always win.

"They can all be beaten. Back in my day Vain got beaten and I didn't think that was ever a possibility," Hyland said referring to the Hall Of Fame galloper who won 12 of his 14 starts.

Vain's only defeats came when he was runner-up to Beau Babylon in the 1969 AJC Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) and second again to Daryl's Joy in the 1969 Moonee Valley Stakes (1600m).

Last start Zarita was runner-up to Weekend Hussler in the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington, and according to the Ross McDonald stable she'll have to improve six lengths to beat the Hussler on Saturday.

"The horse has definitely gone to another level this week," McDonald's son Clinton said.

"We were pretty excited after Tuesday's work. His work was outstanding. It wasn't the time, it was the way he was doing it.

"I walked him yesterday afternoon and I just couldn't keep the horse on the ground and when I put him in his box he was bucking his brands off and carrying on a treat."

While it may not be on Saturday, Hyland is hopeful Zarita can beat Weekend Hussler at some stage this spring.

"The hope we've got for her to catch Weekend Hussler is when we get up in distance maybe," Hyland said.

"She's stays very well and he's got to get there yet so really we've got to hope that he does struggle with distance.

"But this race is only another 200 metres so anyway it will be a good race to try it out."

Hyland said he did not have much option but to run Zarita in the Underwood considering he is training her for the Caulfield Cup.

"We've got to test the water. Weekend Hussler is a weighted certainty in the Caulfield Cup if he keeps going the way he's going," he said.

"But he still has to get to 2400 metres and we've won at 2500 so these are the types of races we have to run in.

"You can't afford to run in a race and get a penalty."

Hyland believes Zarita can improve on her run in the Makybe Diva considering she had a 300m bumping dual with Light Fantastic which led to a careless riding suspension for Light Fantastic's rider Craig Newitt.

"That bumping duel between Zarita and Light Fantastic was like a jockey against a heavyweight boxer. That's the difference (in size) between them," he said.

"As (Zarita's jockey) Greg Childs said `if she had ran fifth I would have said she was unlucky and should have run second'.

"She showed a lot of heart and a lot of courage but she's got to improve to beat Weekend Hussler on Saturday."