A recent trial benchmark achieved by a former Hayes and Dabernig-trained three-year-old suggests the lightly raced gelding is primed for a first-up win at Hawkesbury on Saturday.
Malzoom will be having his first run for Warwick Farm trainer Garry Neale in the Aveo Bella Vista Benchmark 64 Handicap (1100m).
Malzoom had four runs for the Hayes and Dabernig team and won a two-year-old handicap at Morphettville on April 1 leading all the way over 1300m with each of his remaining three runs at metropolitan venues in Melbourne.
Malzoom lost rider Jean Van Overmeire at the start of his first trial at Warwick Farm but led all the way to win his second trial by close to five-lengths running the 795m in 46.2 seconds.
You won't find it in Form Analysing 101 text book but there is a benchmark I have used over the years to assess the value of trials across tracks which are often run over unusual distance.
The measure I use is 17 seconds per metre and it has been a reliable guide over a long period of time, particularly with younger horses.
By way of example the 2017 Golden Slipper winner, She Will Reign won her first trial at Rosehill over 900m running 52.70 – that's 17.07 mps.
Not for one minute am I suggesting that Malzoom is in She Will Reign's class, it's just that the 17mps benchmark is a figure that over the years has indicated an above-average trial.
Malzoom's trial returned a benchmark trial figure of 17.20mps.
It is worth noting Malzoom wore blinkers in the trial for the first time and will have the shades applied at Hawkesbury on Saturday.
At $5 in early betting Malzoom represents terrific value for punters.
