Danny O’Brien’s Saracen Knight (IRE) is in the form of his life, which may have connections regretting his absence from the nominations for the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup.
Fresh off his triumph in the Listed R.M. Ansett Classic at Mornington, the son of Camelot dominated Saturday’s Group II Neds Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) at Caulfield.
Ridden by Jamie Kah, Saracen Knight (IRE) defeated Makram (IRE) (Make Believe) by one and a quarter lengths, with Desert Icon (FR) (Sea The Stars) a half head back in third.
“When the Melbourne and Caulfield Cups nominations closed, we thought it was a bridge too far from where he was at, but we’ve got a million-dollar Moonee Valley Cup in two weeks’ time so I suspect that we’ll head there,” O'Brien said.
“We’ll pick off the races that we can.
“The longer he’s been in work the better he’s got. We shifted him down to Barwon Heads after he ran poorly about three months ago at Flemington and haven’t done much with him other than bowling him up and down the beach and he’s just been racing in tremendous form.
“He carried a couple of big weights and his last two he’s dropped right down in the weights and he’s fit. He’s a very happy horse.”
A €230,000 purchase for MV Magnier from the Whitehall Stud consignment at the 2016 Goffs Orby Sale, Saracen Knight (IRE) advances his record to six wins, one second, and four thirds from 25 starts, with earnings of $572,455.
He is the best of two winners from three to race out of the Raven’s Pass mare Za'Hara, a half-sister to Grad 1 Arlington Millions winner Debussy (Diesis) and Group III winner Laugh Aloud (Dubawi).
