Kiwi jumper Zed Em (NZ) (Zed) finished a close-up third behind Gold Medals in a 2800m steeplechase trial at Warrnambool on Tuesday, pleasing connections as he prepares for next week’s Grand Annual Steeplechase (5500m) at the same venue.
The winner of the time-honoured event last year, Zed Em disappointed when soundly beaten at Pakenham last start, with trainer Patrick Payne and jockey Steven Pateman putting that performance down to the nine-year-old gelding’s preferring novelty courses.
“I suppose he is a fourth season chaser now,” Pateman said.
“He seems way more relaxed than he has ever been. One thing is the same, his jumping is still really good and his action feels good, but he is not trying to pull as much as he used to.
“I thought he was pretty good on the line in the trial. I was happy with him.”
Pateman rated the New Zealand-bred Gold Medals (NZ) (Elvstroem), who won Tuesday’s trial and took out the Grand Annual in 2018 as the horse to beat. The leading jumps rider said Zed Em relished being back at Warrnambool.
“He well and truly knew where he was and all his form is on cross-country tracks – Oakbank and Warrnambool – so I look forward to Tuesday,” he said.
“Patrick Payne and Kevin Myers, they know what they’re doing. He was impressive on the flat at Werribee not that long ago.
“It will be his third run in the Grand Annual so he well and truly knows his way around.”
