Trainer J D Hayes has indicated that the emerging stayer Simurgh is straightforward to train and is expected to continue his progression through various racing classes.
Having achieved three wins from his six starts to date, including his last two consecutive outings, Simurgh is set to aim for an extension of his winning streak in the Sportsbet Same Race Multi Handicap (2400m) at Sandown on Saturday.
Simurgh, an Irish-bred four-year-old, joined the Lindsay Park stable of Ben, Will, and J D Hayes following a debut Australian campaign that saw him record one win and a minor placing from three starts in Ireland for Eddie and Patrick Harty.
After finishing second over 1600m at Pakenham on his initial Australian start, Simurgh has since gone on to secure victories over 2000m at Caulfield on May 9 and May 30.
In his most recent race, Simurgh raced prominently near the leaders to defeat Skippers Canyon, an opponent he will face again on Saturday, and will carry an additional 3kg for that win.
Ben Allen has been booked to ride Simurgh on Saturday, taking over from Craig Williams, who partnered the gelding in his last two successful performances.
J D Hayes stated that Simurgh is progressing well through the grades and shows considerable promise as a stayer.
“We’re just taking him through his grades to boost his rating, but he’s got a great future ahead of him,” Hayes said. “Hopefully we can ever so slightly raise the bar again with him and hopefully he can go along with it.”
Hayes mentioned that the stable is uncertain about the full potential of the gelding this campaign but has seen no indication of his form declining during training.
“He’ll tell us. He’s a very easy horse to pick in the mornings,” Hayes commented.
A potential trip north to the Sunshine Coast for the Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m) on July 4 is under consideration, provided Simurgh wins on Saturday.
“It will be a thought, but we need to get through Saturday first,” Hayes added. “He needs to win to see whether he can take a trip to the warmer weather.”
Simurgh is currently the $3.60 favourite in the betting for Saturday’s race, with Straand Deal, another lightly raced emerging stayer, listed at $3.90.
Explore Australian betting sites for the best odds on Saturday’s feature race.