Zahspeed ready for Valley task

Last-start Darwin Cup winner Zahspeed is one runner who's certainly sparking interest ahead of Saturday's meeting at The Valley.

The former Victorian galloper returns to race in the southern state for the first time since June 2017, when trained by Danny O'Brien.

Since then he's had four more trainers, finding his way from Victoria to Queensland and then to the Northern Territory with trainer Gary Clarke.

He's now in Phillip Stokes' yard, and trialled in South Australia before crossing the border for Saturday's Powerflo Solutions Craig Opie Cup (1600m) at The Valley.

The leading Adelaide trainer says he's happy to now have him, confirming it was good friend Clarke's idea to pass him on.

"I was lucky that Gary Clarke thought he needed to have a bit more racing, he's come down to us in great condition, looks fantastic, had a jumpout at Gawler last week, went well," Stokes said.

"Just a real tradesman sort of horse, you know he just puts in good gallops all the time, very clean-winded, easy horse to train.

"He's a real racehorse, tough competitor, he's won at The Valley, it's a big ask coming from a Darwin Cup back to a mile at Moonee Valley but you know he'll give you a run for your money."

The seven-year-old steps back to a mile after racing in the 2000-metre Darwin Cup on August 6, and Stokes said he isn't concerned with having drawn barrier one, trusting Victoria's leading metropolitan rider to make the right decisions.

"Craig Williams will come and tell me everything I need to know so I'd say he'll be somewhere out there on top of the speed," he said.

"We've had a bit of success in the past so hopefully we can continue."

Following the run, Stokes confirmed the son of Speed 'N' Power will stay in Victoria for at least the next few weeks.

"There's a 1700m at Caulfield on Sept 22 so we might look at something like that, and just keep placing him the best we can," Stokes said.

One of Stokes' top spring chances, Assertive Play, has her first Victorian start in Saturday's Listed Atlantic Jewel Stakes.

The unbeaten filly won twice in June at Morphettville before a short let-up, and Stokes confirmed she'll have a gear change this weekend.

"She's had two trials going into this, she's got a habit of hanging in in her races and we've been tinkering with some gear and put a bubble-cheeker on her, going a lot straighter," he said.

"She's really stepped up to the plate, probably last prep and this prep, early on she didn't show us a great deal, she was very just laidback but she's a real raceday horse and a pleasure to have around.

"I feel she is a filly that will get out over further so what I'm looking for is to just see her running on, first time at The Valley, first trip away is always a big ask, but if she can be running top three or four and running on hard at the finish I'll be happy."

The daughter of Akeed Mofeed is on a G1 Thousand Guineas path but Stokes said if she's not up to that she will target the G2 Edward Manifold Stakes.

"We'll get a good guide after Saturday where she's at, we're obviously on a Guineas-bound route but we can always change that if we feel fit," he said.

Stokes is set to have a continued presence in Victorian racing, occupying a few boxes at Caulfield this spring ahead of moving into his new Pakenham base in two months.

"We've been very lucky that Caulfield have let us have six boxes over the carnival, we're very appreciative, we'll do the carnival at Caulfield and then move to Pakenham after that," he said.

"Really looking forward to moving in there at Pakenham, we can have 40 horses there and we'll have 12 day yards, a 12-horse walker, everything you would want."