Step aside Rekindling and Twilight Payment, Joseph O’Brien has a new star stayer in town.
The dual Melbourne Cup-winning trainer has brought Al Riffa down to Melbourne to contest our greatest race on Tuesday, with fellow two-time Cup winner Mark Zahra booked for the ride.
“The lads were saying this is probably the best horse that Joseph has ever brought out here,” Zahra said.
“Considering he’s had a couple of winners, that’s a pretty good rap.”
WATCH: Hear from Zahra after riding Al Riffa
Al Riffa will carry the topweight of 59kg in this year’s Melbourne Cup and heads into the race having won his past two starts, including a four-length victory in the Group 1 Irish St. Leger in his most recent start.
“He barely came off the bridle, that was a very strong win,” Zahra said. “He travelled well, back, relaxed and then when he asked him, he just zoomed through. You can’t win much better than that.”
Zahra knows what it takes for a topweight to take out the gruelling two-mile handicap, having guided the last topweight to Cup glory, being Gold Trip in 2022.
“It’s hard having not ridden him in a race yet to compare him to Gold Trip but he’s a bit bigger, bit stronger horse and I think he’s got all the class like Gold Trip had for sure,” Zahra said.
The renowned big-race rider got his first feel for Al Riffa at Werribee on Wednesday morning and left trackwork with a positive vibe.
“Great first impression, lovely, big horse, nice and quiet, did his work, gave me no trouble at all,” Zahra noted. “I was very happy.”
Sportsbet has Al Riffa at $6.50 in its Melbourne Cup market.
WATCH: Hear the stable’s thoughts ahead of the Melbourne Cup
