By Craig Brennan (Racing & Sports)
Mornington trainer John McArdle is already planning an early season Group 1 assault, and a part of his planning is in Queensland.
Regal Zeus heads to the Listed Eye Liner Stakes (1350m) at Ipswich on Saturday, the first of two potential runs in Queensland.
McArdle wants to return home to Melbourne early in the new season to have a tilt at the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield in late August.
"I'm 99 per cent sure we'll run in the Eye Liner and then the Glasshouse and if everything went according to plan then we would be the fit horse leading into the Memsie," McArdle said.
"That was the plan and the reason for heading up there was because it is a 61-kilo maximum topweight off a 54-kilo minimum, so he wouldn't be getting as badly weighted up there as he would be in Victoria."
The Listed Glasshouse Handicap (1400m) is run at the Sunshine Coast on July 4 while Regal Zeus has been allotted 60.5kg on Saturday.
Regal Zeus heads into Saturday's contest off only one trial, finishing second over 1200m at Sandown on May 23.
That trial was over the new 1200m journey on the Hillside course at Sandown and McArdle wanted to give the gelding a good workout on a suitable grass track.
"He was probably ready for a half-mile trial, but he had the1200-metre trial, and him being him, he doesn't do anything softly," McArdle said.
"It was a stronger trial than what we expected, but what it meant was that we didn't have to trial him again.
"He had a gallop on the course proper before the Mornington meeting last week and then flew up there the following day.
"The travel has tightened him up again and he hasn't left an oat since he's been up there.
"He's his bright usual self."
The Eye Liner is one of three Stakes race on Saturday's program that also includes the Listed Ipswich Cup (2150m) and the Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic (1200m).
