Saab Hasan isn’t afraid to set the bar high for stable star Sirius Suspect ahead of his return to racing in the coming weeks.
The Tabilk-based horseman has Group 1 aspirations for his galloper, who has returned to work in ‘perfect’ order following a lengthy campaign which ended with back-to-back below-par efforts at Flemington.
“He’s done a month’s work now and come back in tremendous order, he’s just filled right out and looks a treat, hasn’t taken a backward step at all,” Hasan said.
“He had a few niggles last time towards the end of the prep, we’ve ironed them out, he had about 10 runs that prep and he just jarred up a bit.
“He’s just done absolutely phenomenal, for a horse that’s come back as an eight-year-old you’d think he couldn’t look better, but he has, he looks like he’s improved, which is scary.”
| POS | Jockey | Track | Date | DIST | Race | WGT | MRG | Odds | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 – 12 | C.Williams | FLEM | 29 OCT 2022 | 1200m | RISING FAST | 57kg | 4L | $13 | |
| 8 – 12 | E.P.Brown | FLEM | 1 OCT 2022 | 1200m | GILGAI | 58.5kg | 5.1L | $19 | |
| 1 – 7 | E.P.Brown | FLEM | 6 AUG 2022 | 1200m | AURIE’S STAR | 54kg | 1.2L | $3.60 | |
| 1 – 9 | E.P.Brown | FLEM | 2 JUL 2022 | 1200m | ALL VIC SPRINT | 54kg | 1L | $4 | |
| 3 – 12 | E.P.Brown | SW H | 10 JUN 2022 | 1200m | GOLD TOPAZ | 56.5kg | 2.1L | $26 |
Sirius Suspect will be aimed at Group 1 sprint glory this autumn, with Hasan indicating the Newmarket Handicap (1200m) down the Flemington straight, where his galloper has won four times, will be an ideal target.
“I’d love to have a crack at the Newmarket, he arguably should’ve won the race two years ago,” Hasan said.
“He’s improved which is scary, but I’d like to just kick him off in a sprint race up the straight at Flemington, then I haven’t really thought about anything fully committed after that.
“He’s a horse that just wants to compete, it wouldn’t matter if a rabbit’s running alongside him, he just wants to beat it.
“He’s just so competitive, he wants to be the first out of his yard, first to work.”