Placed in three of his previous four starts at stakes level, Sirius Suspect made no mistake at his fifth attempt when leading at every call in the Group III Standish Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on New Years Day.
Ridden by Jamie Kah, the Saab Hasan-trained son of Wanted kept up a relentless gallop to defeat Albumin (Foxwedge) by one and a quarter lengths with Defiant Dancer (Foxwedge) a short-head back in third.
A homebred for Darren and Liz Dance's Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock and partners, Sirius Suspect advances his record to eight wins, four seconds and four thirds from 25 starts with earnings of $485,250.
It was the first stakes winner for Saab Hasan since Shoreham won the Group III MRC Easter Cup in 2018.
"When I migrated to Australia, I lived at the commission flats and all I wanted to do was be a horse trainer," an emotional Hasan said.
"I was trying to get a job at Flemington for years and Mick Cerchi gave me a go and this is where I want to cement myself as a trainer, and that is what we are starting to do.
"Darren Dance was the only syndicator willing to give me a go. So shout out to Darren.
"He was always going to win a Listed or Group race. Tomorrow morning I'll put him on a truck and he will go to Darren and Liz Dance's Manningtree Park and he will have a spell for a couple of weeks then we might set him for the Newmarket.
Sirius Suspect is the best of four winners from as many to race out of the Galileo (IRE) mare Sirius Miss, a $120,000 purchase at the 2006 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Sirius Miss has a yearling filly by Press Statement and was covered by Toronado (IRE) last spring.
Sirius Suspect becomes the fifth stakes-winner for Clear Mountain Fairviews Group 1 Newmarket Handicap winner Wanted who stands at a fee of $5,500.
