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By Ray Hickson

Separate setbacks cost Hurstville Zagreb the chance to run in two Derbies earlier this year but co-trainer Tom Charlton says there’s plenty of time for him to realise his staying potential.

Trainer Tom Charlton (Pic: Bradley Photos).

The gelding’s Australian Derby prep had to be abandoned when he was scratched from a race at Rosehill on Coolmore Classic Day, where he was favourite, after an incident in the tie-up stalls where he sustained a foot injury.

He was then being prepared for a Queensland Derby campaign and ran out of time to be ready for the classic the John O’Shea & Tom Charlton team ultimately dominated with Maison Louis beating King Of Thunder.

“He had a minor setback through his last preparation and he missed a run and it didn’t enable him to get to the Derby in Queensland where he wouldn’t have been out of place,’’ Charlton said.

“He still had an excellent last campaign. He was a bit unfortunate in a couple of his races, it was probably a bit of race craft and things not quite going his way.”

Hurstville Zagreb was placed in his three starts in May and June and that kicked off with a narrow defeat over the mile at The Coast meeting at Gosford.

He’ll return over the same trip in the Catanach’s Jewellers Handicap (1600m) at Warwick Farm on Monday.

“He’s a big scopey horse so we’ve given him a bit of time and he looks to have come back well,’’ he said.

“You’d expect him to have some nice races ahead of him this prep.

“Once the carnival is over hopefully we can get him to those Saturday races and he should progress well.”

The four-year-old, $3.20 with TAB on Sunday, has trialled twice in the lead up for his resumption and Charlton said they point to a good first-up run and a solid foundation to step out in distance.

“In his trials, for a staying horse, he’s handled himself very well,’’ he said.

“He could stay potentially a mile and a quarter, mile and a half. He’s not slow so fresh there’s an opportunity for him to be competitive.

“But he’s a big horse so he’ll take a good deal of improvement.”

Charlton also sees potential for stablemate O’Sheamus to be effective into the future when the races get longer and he’ll be out to post his first win in the Hyland Race Colours Handicap (1600m).

Yet to be placed in three starts, the three-year-old was beaten two lengths by Reflect, who subsequently ran fifth in the Group 1 Flight Stakes, at Kembla Grange three weeks ago.

Hurstville Zagreb's trial at Randwick on September 26

“He’s a horse that shapes like he’ll stay further,’’ Charlton said.

“His last run was good in what will probably turn out to be not a bad race. With more racing and a bit of distance we’ll see the best of him.”

All the fields, form and replays for Monday's Warwick Farm meeting