RICHARDS AND ZAHRA SET TO PARTNER IN LIGHTNING

Zahra set to partner Gytrash in Group 1

Gytrash was the winner of the 2020 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes down the Flemington Straight when the same combination of Zahra and Richards orchestrated a boilover when beating home Redzel, Loving Gaby as well as last years Everest winner Nature Strip at $21.

The victory marked the first big major of Gordon Richards' training career and now he is reforming the same combination as he looks to replicate that feat in 2022.

Richards has since grown his stable and formed a training partnership with fellow South Australian Damien Moyle. However he is looking towards an old combination to regain that winning result.

“We probably have got to have everything in our favour to beat them so why not go back to the same well,” Richards said.

“He was one of the first jockeys to get on to us when I put it out there that we didn’t have a rider for him and we’re happy to have him on.”

Zahra has only partnered Gytrash on one other occasion when finishing second to Loving Gaby in the William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley two starts after his Lightning win.

If Gytrash is to replicate his win from 2020 he will have to overcome the usual suspects with Nature Strip and Eduardo both nominated for the $1m contest at Flemington.

TAB have Nature Strip as a $2.30 favourite in early all-in markets with Eduardo at $4 for the Lightning while boom three-year-old Home Affairs is $7.

Gytrash is a $13 chance with Richards and Moyle sticking to a plan to head to the race first-up this autumn.

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