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By Ray Hickson

Trainer John O’Shea can see pluses and minuses around Hurstville Zagreb’s chances at Randwick on Saturday but he says how the first 200m plays out will be crucial.

Trainer John O'Shea (Pic: Steve Hart)

The lightly raced three-year-old has had a stop-start campaign due to kicking out in the tie-up stalls prior to his scheduled third start in mid-March so he arrives at the Consortium Clemenger Handicap (2000m) third-up off an unplanned two month break.

Hurstville Zagreb, $2.80 with TAB on Friday, was narrowly denied on his return at Gosford and O’Shea, who co-trains with Tom Charlton, said while beaten six lengths by Let’s Fly when third a fortnight ago his run was better than it looked.

“I was really pleased, I thought he was a little free early and it negated his finish a little,’’ O’Shea said.

“I’m sure he’ll execute a lot better this week, with that in mind it should be a good opportunity for him.

“I think he can develop into a really nice horse. If he can get in and do the job right it’ll be good.”

While a few early scratchings have made Zac Lloyd’s job a shade easier, Hurstville Zagreb still has to overcome an outside barrier at the tricky 2000m start.

That is a concern for O’Shea, for Lloyd to ensure he settles well if and when he gets across, as he faces another heavy Randwick track.

“I would have preferred the rain not to come, that’s probably the main issue, and he’s got a terribly wide gate,’’ he said.

“You’ll know in the first 200m. I’d expect him to roll forward and find himself in the first three or four.”

There’s some expectation from O’Shea that imported mare Quietness can give some cheek at her local debut in the Sydney Roosters Partners Handicap (1600m).

She brings a record of five wins and as many placings from 11 starts to Australia and while she hasn’t won below 2011m her two trials have pleased O’Shea, so much so he can see her at least catching the eye.

“She’s a nice mare, she’s had a good preparation and has adapted pretty well to our training regime,’’ he said.

“We’ve been really pleased with her. She seems to have trialled up sharp enough so we thought she could be competitive.”

Things haven’t fallen into place in two runs this preparation for Captain Amelia and O’Shea can only hope for the best in the Asahi Super Dry Handicap (1400m).

She’s drawn wide in both and now she has drawn a favourable gate she’s faced with a heavy track and only once in her four attempts in the ground has she been placed.

“We’ll probably run her then she can have a break because it’s becoming a disaster with these wet tracks,’’ O’Shea said.

Hurstville Zagreb runs third at Randwick on May 24

“She was effective one day on soft ground as a two-year-old but we’ve been trying to get a draw and a track that’s commensurate to her running well and we haven’t had either.”

John O’Shea on Good Banter (race 3): “It’s probably a little short of her best but it’s the easiest race she’s run in for a long time. In a smaller field she doesn’t have to get so far back.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting