Vindicating weighted up with Mazzacano

By Mark Ryan

MELBOURNE, June 1 AAP - Trainer Robbie Laing says Vindicating is weighted as though he is the equal of his former star `chaser Mazzacano in Saturday's Australian Steeplechase at Sandown.

Mazzacano won the Australian Steeple in 2007 carrying 62kg and in 2009 with 69.5kg which was his seventh jumps win in succession.

Vindicating is the equal topweight with Virvacity with 69kg after winning at his first three steeplechase starts and then failing to complete the course in the incident-marred Grand Annual Steeplechase at Warrnambool on May 5.

The Zabeel seven-year-old had previously won over fences at Sandown, the Von Doussa at Oakbank and the Brierly Steeple at Warrnambool.

"He's weighted as though he is equal to Mazzacano," Laing said.

"Mazzacano had to win six in a row before he was getting weights like that."

Laing said while Vindicating had the edge on stablemate Plumtastic, there wasn't much between them given the latter has a 4.5kg weight advantage on Saturday.

The pair haven't raced over obstacles since failing to complete the 5500m, 33-fence course of the Grand Annual Steeple in which only two of the eight runners finished.

Vindicating ran through a cyclone fence when loose but escaped injury.

But both raced on the flat at Cranbourne last Sunday to help fit them for Saturday's $100,000 3900m feature, showing they had taken no harm.

"They haven't been over the fences since Warrnambool but they are both very fit," Laing said.

Vindicating's saddle shifted at the Tozer Road double the second time around at Warrnambool dislodging rider Gavin Bedggood, while Plumtastic looked to have the race in his keeping after he had raced past the eventual winner Al Garhood.

But his rider Paul Hamblin was dislodged at the second last fence.

Vindicating ran third to Black And Bent in last year's Australian Hurdle but has never raced better since going over the bigger fences this season.

Bedggood, who was aboard Mazzacano in his two Australian Steeple victories, retains the ride on Vindicating while Steven Pateman will ride Plumtastic.

A small field of eight will face the starter in the Australian Steeple while the Laing-trained The Member will be ridden by Tommy Logan in the Australian Hurdle (3400m) in which there were seven final acceptors.

The Member, who fell in the Grand Annual, was unplaced on the flat at Cranbourne last Sunday.

His opposition will include 2009 Galleywood and Grand National Hurdle winner Desert Master, 2009 Australian Hurdle winner Hooker Road and 2011 Yalumba Classic Hurdle winner Famous Prince.

Trainer Eric Musgrove has three runners, the consistent Famous Prince and the in-form Lloyd Williams-owned pair Our Aristocrat and Our Rockhampton.

Co-trainers Cindy Alderson and her father Colin Alderson have two runners in Hooker Road and Al Karam.

The Sandown jumps track was on Wednesday rated a heavy (9).