Four-year-old Zagreb could be the forgotten horse in Saturday's Caulfield Cup after he nearly suffocated last start in the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington.The son of Zabeel finished 11th, seven lengths behind the winner Littorio, but trainer David Hayes said the entire was significantly affected when he swallowed a clod of dirt."My vet believed there was a good case for suffocation with the amount of dirt that was down there," Hayes said."After the race we thought he may have been coming down with
Four-year-old Zagreb could be the forgotten horse in Saturday's Caulfield Cup after he nearly suffocated last start in the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington.
The son of Zabeel finished 11th, seven lengths behind the winner Littorio, but trainer David Hayes said the entire was significantly affected when he swallowed a clod of dirt.
"My vet believed there was a good case for suffocation with the amount of dirt that was down there," Hayes said.
"After the race we thought he may have been coming down with a cold so we scoped him and there it was.
"Horses often get dirt in the mouth but he must have got a direct hit."
At his previous start Zagreb stormed home from last to win the Naturalism Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield, exempting him from the Caulfield Cup ballot.
He has only 52kg in the Cup which is 1.5kg less than he carried in the Naturalism and 2kg less than his Turnbull weight.
Zagreb will wear blinkers for the first time in the Caulfield Cup, a tactical gear change that Hayes has used successfully in the past in big races.
He has been the subject of solid support with TAB Sportsbet, firming from $18 to $13 after bets of $6,000 each-way at $18, $15,000 the win and $5,000 the place at $17 and $11,000 the win and $5,000 the place at $17.
Glen Boss will ride Zagreb while Craig Williams will partner stablemate Guillotine who guaranteed his Caulfield Cup place by winning the weight-for-age Dato'Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley five weeks ago.
He is backing up for the third week in a row after finishing fifth in the Turnbull Stakes and third to Douro Valley in last Saturday's Yalumba Stakes.
Significantly he drops from 58kg to 51.5kg in the Cup with the only dampener on his chances being the second from the outside barrier.
But Hayes remains optimistic.
"If he (Guillotine) can compete at weight-for-age and get into the Cup with a big weight drop it is a good sign," Hayes said.
He is also mindful that his late father, Colin, trained How Now to win the Cup from the third from the outside barrier in 1976.
Four-year-old Guillotine would provide a special family double should he win the Caulfield Cup after his older half-brother Efficient won last year's Melbourne Cup.
Both horses are from Defensive Play mare Refused The Dance and were born in successive years.
Weekend Hussler, backed in from $6 to $4.20 this week, eased slightly to $4.40 favouritism on Friday.
He was backed to win over $750,000 on TAB Sportsbet with the biggest bets being two of $10,000 at $4.40.
Turnbull Stakes winner Littorio firmed from $6 to $5.50 after $30,000 in various bets, the biggest $3,000 each-way at $5.50.
Following a bet of $5,000 at $23, Queensland Oaks and Derby winner Riva San firmed to $21.
There was has also been support for international gallopers Mad Rush and to a lesser extent All The Good.
The Luca Cumani-trained Mad Rush firmed from $23 to $21 after $8,000 in various bets, while Godolphin-owned All The Good attracted a bet of $1,000 at $51.