Almost a year after his last victory, Tashbeeh gets conditions to suit at Flemington for a return to the winner’s circle.
The four-year-old gets up to 1600 metres on Saturday while dropping to benchmark company after a last-start second to Charmed Harmony in the Group Three Sandown Stakes (1400m).
Trained by David Hayes and Tom Dabernig, Tashbeeh won three races as a three-year-old, the most recent in January.
At the request of his owner Sheikh Hamden, Tashbeeh headed to Dubai where he raced twice, finishing fifth over 1400m on turf before being beaten more than 20 lengths when fourth on dirt surface over 1900m.
Dabernig said the stable learned Tashbeeh wasn’t as effective over the extra ground, especially on dirt and since his return has kept him to shorter races.
“He’s probably more a 1400 metre, miler type of horse,” Dabernig said.
On Saturday Tashbeeh steps up to 1600m for the first time this campaign and Dabernig said with some luck he could have been chasing a third straight win.
Before his second to Charmed Harmony on November 14, Tashbeeh finished third behind Malaguerra and subsequent Group One winner Good Project at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day.
“James McDonald rode him and said if he had drawn a barrier on Melbourne Cup day he would have won,” Dabernig said.
“Then we fronted up against Charmed Harmony and he seems to beat us all the time.
“It’s a mile at Flemington and he should be cherry ripe for it.
“Now that the carnival’s over he will be much better placed leading into summer.
Dabernig said the stable had no major plans with Tashbeeh, other than to get him winning again.
However if he can win on Saturday, a race like the Listed Lord Stakes (1700m) at Caulfield on December 26 comes into calculations.
Tashbeeh is one of 12 entries for the Benchmark 84 and the equal highest rated at 83 alongside the Matt Laurie-trained Master Reset.
