No stranger to competing internationally, Japanese trainer Mitsuru Hashida breaks new ground at Caulfield with his first Australian runner.
Hashida has campaigned in Dubai, Hong Kong and Ireland and recently took Deirdre to the UK to win at August’s Glorious Goodwood meeting.
Suzuka Devious, the rank outsider in Saturday’s Group One Caulfield Stakes, is the latest galloper attempting to improve on Hashida’s international record.
“We enjoy it as a team taking our horses to a new challenge and a new environment and finding more potential in our horses,” Hashida said.
Nine-year-old Suzuka Devious is enjoying Melbourne’s cool climate, according to Hashida.
“When he was in Tokyo quarantine it was a bit too hot,” Hashida said.
“The horse doesn’t like the hot weather so we try and take the horse to the cooler weather even to the Hokkaido races during the summer.
“He seems a lot better and well here at the moment in Australia.”
A winner at Hakodate in June, Suzuka Devious finished last at that venue in July, his most recent outing.
Hashida explained Suzuka Devious was galloped on during that race, receiving a laceration to his leg.
Following Saturday’s race Suzuka Devious moves from the quarantine centre at Werribee to the Ballarat stables of Matt Cumani where Hashida will continue to prepare the horse for the Group One Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington on November 9.
“Usually in Japan we work this horse uphill,” Hashida said.
“There’s a good uphill course at Ballarat and that’s the reason we will move the horse to Ballarat to train the horse in a usual environment.
“We don’t really know the quality of the Australian horses so it is hard to compare Japanese racing to Australian racing, but if we can have Suzuka Devious in the right form and in the right condition, I think he can be competitive on Saturday.”
Suzuka Devious is one of four international gallopers in quarantine at Werribee having their first Australian starts on Saturday.
He will be joined by the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Dream Castle, Danceteria for David Menuisier and the Lindsay Park-trained Cape of Good Hope who will move to Lindsay Park’s Flemington stables after Saturday’s race.
