Zampara is thriving in the longest campaign of a career punctuated by injuries and trainer Matthew Smith has the seven-year-old ready to pounce in the Summer Cup.The chestnut lines up in 2400 Group Three feature on Boxing Day off a win over 2000 metres at Rosehill on December 12.That day he was parked just behind the speed in second spot for the best part of the race before going on to edge out Feorlan by a head.Lightly raced Zampara has just 28 starts to his name and Saturday's race will be num

Zampara is thriving in the longest campaign of a career punctuated by injuries and trainer Matthew Smith has the seven-year-old ready to pounce in the Summer Cup.

The chestnut lines up in 2400 Group Three feature on Boxing Day off a win over 2000 metres at Rosehill on December 12.

That day he was parked just behind the speed in second spot for the best part of the race before going on to edge out Feorlan by a head.

Lightly raced Zampara has just 28 starts to his name and Saturday's race will be number 12 of a campaign which commenced in May.

Zampara has recorded two wins and four placings this preparation.

"He worked along nicely Tuesday morning and everything seems spot on," Smith said.

"This is the first preparation we've been able to race him properly, he's had some good preps in the past but he's never been 100 per cent right and we've had to pull the pin.

"He's had plenty of niggling injuries, all the time there was something different with him."

Smith says the horse is thriving this time in and deserves a crack at Group level.

"I've had this race in the back of my mind for a while and we gave him the freshen-up and thought that if he ran well at Rosehill we'd give him a run and it's all worked out well," Smith said.

The Warwick Farm trainer believes there is still a query over the 2400 metres.

"We're still not sure how much he will improve up to this trip but I'm hoping he runs it out strong," Smith said.

"He finished off well when he won at home in September over 2200 metres and I thought he had plenty of improvement going into that race. He's pretty wound up for this race."

There are 12 acceptances for the race including Scouting Wide who scored an all-the way win in the Listed Christmas Cup over Saturday's distance at Rosehill on December 12.

"I'm sure Scouting Wide won't be getting away with what he did the other day and there'll be a few others like ourselves wanting to kick up to keep in touch with him," Smith said.

"It's going to be right up to his level, he'll have to be at his best.

"But he likes firm going and needs it to be a genuinely run race and if he can be close to the speed like he was last time out, he'll be going close."

All going well, Smith said Zampara would continue his campaign after Saturday.

"With an old horse like him it's nice to keep racing them rather than pull up stumps and try and start again," he said.

"We'll see how he pulls up but we'd ideally love to freshen him up and go again with him."