Runsati has already exceeded expectations by giving young trainer Bryan Maher his first city winner.
Now 27-year-old Maher is upbeat about the prospects of the gelding adding another metropolitan success at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
Five-year-old Runsati, bred and owned by Maher, raced to victory over 1000m first-up at the same track on January 2.
Despite a rise in class, Maher is confident of another bold showing by Runsati in Saturday’s Browns Sawdust and Shavings Handicap (1000m).
Maher, who runs a horse breaking and pre-training business near Euroa and also trains a few horses, said it was an enormous thrill to see Runsati win at Moonee Valley, the gelding’s third victory from 14 starts and first in town.
“He showed ability from the word go but I never really expected to win on a Saturday in town,” Maher said.
“I thought he might win a couple and go through the grades and maybe progress to midweek class, but he just continues to improve.”
Maher said Runsati was more mature and stronger this campaign and had turned into a proper racehorse.
And he believes the three weeks between runs is ideal going into Saturday.
“He certainly hasn’t gone backwards. He’s probably gone forwards in fitness, and I’m pretty confident for tomorrow,” Maher said.
Maher worked at Lindsay Park in Euroa on weekends while he was in year 11 and 12 at school then worked at a stud farm to learn the breeding side of the industry before getting into breaking and pre-training horses.
“I break in and pre-train and just train a couple on the side,” he said.
“I do breed a few horses every year. I was breeding them to sell and I sold a few for not a lot of money that went on to be really good horses, so I decided to keep some.
“Runsati’s the first one I’ve bred that I’ve kept, so it’s turned out good.”
One of the horses he sold as a weanling for $8500 was a son of Churchill Downs later on-sold to Hong Kong where he races as Solar Hei Hei and has won four races.