Eric Musgrove is wary about the track conditions for Zealous in Saturday's Australian Steeplechase at Sandown.The Zabeel five-year-old made his debut over the bigger fences in the Great Southern Steeplechase (3300m) on a dead track at Mornington on May 22 when he beat Grizz and Banna Strand, rivals again this week."It was a nice win. He's improved a bit this season," Musgrove said."He's got to go on heavy ground but he's won a couple this preparation and it looks a nice race for him."Musgrove, w
Eric Musgrove is wary about the track conditions for Zealous in Saturday's Australian Steeplechase at Sandown.
The Zabeel five-year-old made his debut over the bigger fences in the Great Southern Steeplechase (3300m) on a dead track at Mornington on May 22 when he beat Grizz and Banna Strand, rivals again this week.
"It was a nice win. He's improved a bit this season," Musgrove said.
"He's got to go on heavy ground but he's won a couple this preparation and it looks a nice race for him."
Musgrove, whose sprinter Notdatpetite won in heavy going at Sandown last Wednesday, said he couldn't imagine the track drying out too much.
The last horse to complete the Great Southern - Australian Steeple double was the Chris Hyland-trained Toulouse Lautrec in 2008.
Grizz and Banna Strand are among the 11 nominations for the 3900m feature along with Great Eastern Steeple winner Petushki, Grand National Steeple winner Morsonique and Von Doussa and Brierly Steeple winner Vindicating.
Last year's winner Tarawera is missing having bled during the running of the Andrew Ramsden Stakes (3200m) at Flemington on May 21, incurring a three-month ban from racing.
But the Darren Weir-trained Virvacity, runner-up in the race last year on a heavy 10 surface, will have another crack at the race coming off a last-start fourth in the Great Southern.
Musgrove also has Zabeel eight-year-old Stop The Traffic entered and he has four of the 12 nominations for the Australian Hurdle (3400m).
"Famous Prince will be my definite hurdle runner, maybe Our Rockhampton and maybe Our Aristocrat," he said.
Musgrove said recent Mt Gambier Hurdle winner Deltona, formerly prepared at Randwick by Kevin Moses, will probably go to Bendigo for a hurdle race on Thursday.
Famous Prince, a seven-year-old by Galileo, won the Yalumba Classic Hurdle (3600m) at Oakbank on Easter Monday and was third in the Galleywood Hurdle (3200m) on May 4.
"He's a much better horse on top of the ground than the heavy, but he's very honest," Musgrove said.
Our Aristocrat and Our Rockhampton are among five horses given to Musgrove to train this season by prominent owner Lloyd Williams.
Galileo five-year-old Our Aristocrat has won both of his hurdle starts in Adelaide.
"He's been in weaker company. I think he's quite a nice horse but I'm not sure how he handles bad ground," Musgrove said.
Our Rockhampton, also a Galileo five-year-old, won a hurdle on debut at Warrnambool from Tigeriffic on May 5 but those placings were reversed in the Jack Dow Memorial Hurdle (3300m) at Mornington on May 22.
Hooker Road, who won the 2009 Australian Hurdle, and stablemate Al Karam, a Sandown hurdle winner in April, are entered as are 2010 Adelaide Cup winner Capecover and stablemates Kerdem and Irish Charmer.
Trainer Patrick Payne also has Capecover, who is yet to race over the jumps, and Kerdem, a last-start Mornington maiden hurdle winner, entered for separate hurdle races at Bendigo on Thursday.