So Si Bon to take on older horses at WFA

So Si Bon gets the chance to become the latest three-year-old to make an impact against older horses at weight-for-age in Melbourne this spring when he runs in the Group Two Zipping Classic at Sandown.

Quality sprinting colts Extreme Choice and Star Turn won the Group One Moir Stakes and Group Two Schillaci Stakes respectively, and trainer Robbie Laing has opted to put So Si Bon in Saturday’s Zipping Classic (2400m) rather than the Sandown Guineas (1600m).

Seaburge almost became another three-year-old weight-for-age winner when he finished equal second in Saturday’s $2 million Emirates Stakes won by Awesome Rock.

Classy filly Yankee Rose finished third to Winx and Hartnell in the Cox Plate while I Am A Star beat the older mares in the Group One Myer Classic at Flemington.

So Si Bon was fourth in the Victoria Derby last Saturday week and will try to emulate Count Ricardo who won the race in 2004 after finishing third in the Derby.

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Count Ricardo is the only three-year-old to win the race since 1999 when it became a weight-for-age event.

So Si Bon, to be ridden by Craig Williams at 50.5kg, has seven rivals in the Zipping Classic including last year’s winner Who Shot Thebarman and last year’s Sandown Cup winner Almoonqith.

Who Shot Thebarman and Almoonqith finished fifth and sixth respectively in the Melbourne Cup, while fellow Cup runners Beautiful Romance, Big Orange and Secret Number are also in Saturday’s race.

The Michael Bell-trained Big Orange and Saeed bin Suroor-trained Beautiful Romance and Secret Number will be out to add to the recent internationally trained winners of the Zipping Classic after Americain (2011) and Au Revoir (2014).

Who Shot Thebarman is the $2.70 favourite ahead of So Si Bon and Beautiful Romance at $5.