J D Hayes said emerging stayer Simurgh is an easy read and will continue to race through his grades.
A winner of three races from six starts, including his last two, Simurgh will look to extend his winning streak in the Sportsbet Same Race Multi Handicap (2400m) at Sandown on Saturday.
Simurgh, an Irish-bred four-year-old, came to the Lindsay Park stable of Ben, Will and J D Hayes after win and a minor placing from three starts in Ireland for Eddie and Patrick Harty.
After running second over 1600m at Pakenham at his Australian debut, Simurgh has gone on to register 2000m victories at Caulfield over 2000m on May 9 and May 30.
Simurgh raced handy to the speed in defeating Skippers Canyon, an opponent on Saturday, last time out and rises 3kg in weight for the victory.
Ben Allen takes over in the saddle on Saturday after Craig Williams was aboard in his past two victories.
J D Hayes said Simurgh was progressing nicely through the grades and looks a promising 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 said the team was unsure how far the gelding could progress this campaign, but the stable had seen no signs of the gelding training off.
“He’ll tell us. He’s a very easy horse to pick in the mornings,” Hayes said.
A trip north to the Sunshine Coast for the Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m) on July 4 is under consideration should Simurgh win on Saturday.
“It will be a thought, but we need to get through Saturday first,” Hayes said.
“He needs to win to see whether he can take a trip to the warmer weather.”
Simurgh heads the betting on Saturday’s race as the $3.60 top elect from another lightly raced emerging stayer Straand Deal at $3.90.
