Trainer Ben Brisbourne has ambitious plans of taking Suparazi to Brisbane for a rich Group 1 contest in coming months.
But first, the Wangaratta-based horseman wants to get Suparazi back in winning form which he hopes may come in the Group 3 Victoria Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Suparazi has been winless since scoring at Flemington in January 2024, but in eight of his subsequent 12 runs the rising seven-year-old has filled a place and collected just over $650,000 in prize money.
Brisbourne concedes Suparazi has been a superb money spinner for the stable, notching just over $1 million in total prize money, but he would like to see him add to his seven wins from 39 starts.
The Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm in June is a long-term ambition for Suparazi if the gelding can strike winning form again.
Suparazi showed with his first-up run when fifth, just over four lengths behind Joliestar in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 8, that he will be in for another good campaign.
Brisbourne said Saturday’s race had been planned right from that Newmarket outing.
“We thought he was brilliant that day,” Brisbourne said.
“It will be a month between runs, but we gave him a tick over trial at Bendigo and he looked good.
“He’s been a little while between drinks now, but he’s picked up plenty of prize money in between.
“I think this is the right race for him and it would be great to see him back in the winner’s enclosure.
“The 1400 metres seems to be his sweet spot, although he is effective at 1200 metres and up to a mile, so the 1400 metres second-up, looks just about right.
“Declan Bates sticks with him after he rode him in the Newmarket. I thought he rode him well that day and he will take some benefit out of having had a sit on the horse.”
Travelling does not seem to worry Suparazi who trekked into NSW on four occasions last campaign for placings at Rosehill, Randwick and Kembla Grange, although it might have got to him on his last trip from Wangaratta in December, when last in the Group 2 Ingham Stakes (1600m).
“I think maybe in the Ingham the effects of going up and back to Sydney two or three times eventually took its toll on him,” Brisbourne said.
“We’ll probably be a little bit more reserved this time.
We placed him quite aggressively through the spring, so you won’t see out too much this autumn, but he will travel for big races as necessary.
“I’m not sure about Sydney, but there has been some talk of the Stradbroke.
“He might be a suitable horse for that, but we would obviously want to see him win a race before went down that avenue.”
