The personal dedication of reigning champion trainer John Size may produce a Group One dividend on Friday when Australian private purchase Grand Zulu lays his Derby credentials on the table in the $8 million Mercedes-Benz Classic Mile.
Grand Zulu might arguably prefer a step up in trip to the Derby distance (2,000 metres) rather than the metric mile but Size has attempted to strike the fine balance of improving the four-year-old's fitness while at the same time keeping him on the fresh side for the shorter race.
Size personally rides six to seven horses from among his stable every morning and likes to spread himself around his string so he can get to know every horse's individual characteristics. But there's been no sharing Grand Zulu, with Size having handled the Grand Lodge gelding on each of the 25 mornings he has worked since his last run.
Grand Zulu came through his latest half mile assignment last Saturday morning in effortless fashion, clocking 52.9 seconds and improving to record a second half in 24.3 seconds.
His last-start second in the Fairy King Prawn Handicap on January 16 has since been enhanced considerably, as runner-up Vengeance of Rain has come out and won the Group Three Centenary Vase over 2,000 metres on January 30.
It was no disgrace to finish second to the progressive Zabeel gelding, conceding him the enormous weight parcel of 18 pounds. That Vengeance Of Rain could come out at his very next start and win in Group company further underlined what a great performance Grand Zulu delivered.
Size has made it clear that Grand Zulu is on a Derby mission.
