REIGNING Warrnambool Grand Annual Steeplechase winner Zed Em makes his return to Victoria racing in a flat race at Terang on Thursday.
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Zed Em, who has had two flat runs in New Zealand for respected Kiwi trainer Kevin Myers lines up in a benchmark 58 over 2150 metres for his first Australia start since his win in last year's Grand Annual.
Top trainer Patrick Payne told The Standard the veteran jumper who won the Von Doussa -Great Eastern Steeplechase double at Oakbank before winning the Grand Annual will follow the same jumping path this year.
"Zed Em will be running in the same three feature jumps races as last year," Payne said.
"I've got to congratulate Kevin Myers and his staff on how great Zed Em is. He's in wonderful condition.
"We've got a great foundation to work with and that's due to all the hard work that Kevin and his staff have put into Zed Em in New Zealand.
"He had two flat runs in New Zealand before he arrived at our stables in early March."
Zed Em won last year's three jumps features with champion jumps jockey Steven Pateman in the saddle and Payne confirmed the talented hoop will ride the nine-year-old in the races again this year.
From his 20 jumps starts Zed Em has won 13 races. The first of eight races at Terang is set down to start at 12.15pm.
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