Gai Waterhouse has planned to head to Melbourne for the Flemington carnival and other Sydney trainers and jockeys will welcome not have to do an isolation period to be part of the carnival.

Neasham will head to Melbourne on Friday, but racing authorities have banned trainers or jockeys from commercial flights, so she will either be on a chartered flight or driving. She will get a COVID test, which will have to come back clear before she heads to the track on Saturday.

Neasham will return to Sydney after the race and serve five days in isolation under Racing NSW COVID protocols.

Neasham is happy with the way Doomben Cup winner Zaaki has come through his shock Might And Power Stakes defeat as an odds-on favourite at Caulfield and believes he is ready to go.

He holds the top of the market as a $2.80 favourite with Caulfield Guineas Anamoe at $4.80, while there has been a rally of support for reigning horse of the year Verry Elleegant from $6 to $5, despite coming off a disappointing fourth to Incentivise in the Turnbull Stakes last start, since the barrier draw.

Snowden believes the testing 2000m on a tight track will suit Champagne Stakes winner Captivant after he towed Anamoe into the Caulfield Guineas and then couldn’t match him late in a brave second at Caulfield.

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“Our bloke is good. Obviously, I have seen yet, but we get reports about him and I have seen videos of him and he has come on from the Guineas,” Snowden said.

“I don’t think the track is going to worry him and the extra trip won’t be a problem. He has just been getting stronger with every run.”

Captivant is still a $19 chance for the Cox Plate, and will be ridden by lightweight Dean Yendall at the 49.5kg. He had a feel of him at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

“He just had a good look at the Valley on Saturday. Dean got on him and he went half pace and he was fine on the track. It won’t be a worry,” Snowden said.

“We gave a more solid hitout on Tuesday and he is as good as we have had him. Anamoe is the measure stick for the three-year-olds and I think our bloke is right there with him.”

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