The strong jockey-trainer combination of Brett Scott and John Wheeler is set to strike again at Sandown on Saturday with last-start winners Yamanaura and Zagata.Yamanaura will run in the Australian Hurdle (3400m) while Zagata, who won the Great Southern Steeplechase at Mornington at his latest appearance, will line up in the Australian Steeple (3900m)."Yamanaura is a nice improving jumping horse, but a heavy track is not ideal for him though. He's not real happy when it gets to that state," Scot
The strong jockey-trainer combination of Brett Scott and John Wheeler is set to strike again at Sandown on Saturday with last-start winners Yamanaura and Zagata.
Yamanaura will run in the Australian Hurdle (3400m) while Zagata, who won the Great Southern Steeplechase at Mornington at his latest appearance, will line up in the Australian Steeple (3900m).
"Yamanaura is a nice improving jumping horse, but a heavy track is not ideal for him though. He's not real happy when it gets to that state," Scott said.
"He's on his way up and this race will be a good benchmark to see where he's at.
"He's bred to be a jumper with stoutness and staying ability."
Yamanaura is by Sir Tristram's son Yamanin Vital out of an unraced Noble Bijou mare and is from the same family as Kelt Stakes and Brisbane Cup winner Prized Gem, the dam of AJC Australian Derby winner and Caulfield Cup runner-up Nom De Jeu.
A lightly-raced five-year-old, Yamanaura has had just 12 starts, four of them over the jumps for two wins and a third to Australian Hurdle rival Pentiffic in the Yalumba Hurdle (3600m) at Oakbank in April.
He won a Matamata maiden hurdle in June 2008 and last start scored from another of Saturday's rivals Juan Carlos with Pentiffic third over 3300m at Sandown on June 3.
"I didn't expect him to win but I thought he'd be thereabouts. There were a couple of handy horses in that race and I thought they might be just a bit sharp for him because he hadn't run for seven weeks," Scott said.
Zabeel seven-year-old Zagata has found his niche over the steeplechase fences winning two of his four starts to date and will not be bothered by the likelihood of a heavy track.
"The track won't worry him, he's pretty flexible in that he handles wet or dry," Scott said.
"He's a good jumper, an on-pacer and he's super bred as well."
Zagata, owned by Lady and Sir Patrick Hogan and a syndicate managed by trainer Graeme Rogerson, is out of the same family as Australasian Oaks winner Royal Regatta.
He came to Australia as a maiden steeple winner at Matamata last September and competed twice over Easter at Oakbank.
He finished a gallant fourth to Pentacola after trying to lead all the way in the Great Eastern Steeple (4950m) and despite coming back in distance he then scored easily from Australian Steeple rivals Tainui Teina and Wheel The Lead in the Great Southern (3300m) at Mornington in heavy going on May 24.
"He's going in the right direction and if he keeps stepping up he'll go to the Hiskens and then the Grand National," Scott said.
Scott is shooting for his second Australian Hurdle victory having won it aboard Karasi in 2004 and his fourth Australian Steeple after winning three straight on Kosrose in 2000, Worthy Knight (2001) and the Wheeler-trained Crafty Dancer in 2002.