Trainer Saab Hasan has credited the move to a country property at Tabilk in north-east Victoria for turning around the fortunes of stable star Sirius Suspect.
The now eight-year-old registered his tenth win from 39 starts when taking out the Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Hasan started building a training complex at Tabilk two years ago which he runs in conjunction with his Flemington stable, with Sirius Suspect trained exclusively from the country property.
Ridden by Ethan Brown, Sirius Suspect ($3.60) led throughout in scoring by 1-¼ lengths from Stageman ($7) with Shooting For Gold ($4) a half-length away third.
“This horse has kept us, as the team was struggling when we moved up to Tabilk,” Hasan said.
“I couldn’t train him in the metropolitan area as he’s a very hot horse, but being able to train him from Tabilk, it’s made all the difference in the world.
“He’s an eight-year-old, but he’s getting better all the time.”
Saturday’s victory followed Sirius Suspect’s win in the Listed All Victorian Sprint Final (1200m) at Flemington in early July.
That win was the gelding’s first since the Group 3 Standish Handicap over the same course and distance on New Year’s Day 2021
But along the way Sirius Suspect had finished seventh in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m), again at Flemington, last year.
“I was more nervous today than before the Newmarket because I felt the track might be too sticky for him, but Ethan and Peter Ellis walked the track,” Hasan said.
“We found a lane we thought he would relish.
“Ethan is a great kid and he listened, followed the plan. We thought we’d get away with a couple of cheap sectionals early, which he did.”
With a liking for the straight 1200m at Flemington, Hasan said Sirius Suspect may return for the Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality on September 3 and the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes four weeks later.
“I had thought about the (Listed) Testa Rossa at Sandown (on September 25), but he might get weighted out now,” Hasan said.