3 minute read
Trainer and jockey quotes after Sirius Suspect takes out the Group 3 Standish Handicap at Flemington on Friday.
Race Result:
1st: Sirius Suspect (J Kah/S Hasan) - $2.90F
2nd: Albumin (M Poy/G Ryan & S Alexiou) - $31
3rd: Defiant Dancer (D Stackhouse/P Stokes) - $4.20
Winning Time: 1:09.27 Last 600m: 33.23
Margins: 1¼L x Short Head
Winning Trainer: Saab Hasan
What is means to win a Group 3 at Flemington: "It's everything. When I migrated to Australia, I lived at the commission flats. All I wanted to do was to be a horse trainer and I'd been trying to get a job at Flemington for years. Mick Cerchi gave me a go and this is the place where I wanted to cement myself as a trainer and that's what we're starting to do.
"I want to thank everyone at home for their support. My partner at home, Zoe, who couldn't make it today as she's looking after our baby Amelia, she's been a big strength to me behind my success. Peter Ellis has been great, he's been a big supporter. He makes inches for us and it's huge bonus for us having him on the team.
"Darren Dance, he was the only syndicator to give me a go. No other syndicator wanted to give us a go because we weren't big enough or good enough. He's seen outside the square and given me a go. Big kudos to Darren for giving me a go.
"Also, my foreman 'Doc'. I couldn't have done it without him today. I was really struggling. Normally Zoe is here by my side helping me, but Doc got the horse nice and relaxed and got the money."
On the horse - what next: "He was always going to win a listed or Group race. Tomorrow morning I'll put him on a truck. Darren and his team will look after him. He'll have a spell for a couple of weeks and then we might take him to the Newmarket."
Winning Jockey: Jamie Kah
"That was just perfect. I haven't had much to do with Saab before riding this beautiful horse but he knows him so well and he knew exactly what he wanted to do. He thought he might want to wander and lay out a bit late, and he did.
"He's a very horse-orientated horse. He likes being amongst them. He ran absolutely super."
On the horse liking the Flemington 1200m: "Its a testing 1200 metres. It's probably almost suited to 1400 metre horses and we think this horse is going to get over a mile in time and I think that's why it suits him so much. He can get on the pace and he can rattle off some decent sectionals and put it away early on in the race."
On the track: "Beautiful. It's great today. And it's wonderful that I can ride some winners with my mum and dad here today, and my best friend and her partner."