Rapid improver back in business

One of last season’s most impressive Group One graduates is quietly going through his paces in readiness for a return to action.

Sakhee's Soldier completed a dramatic rise through the grades during his last preparation to progress from a Rating 75 success in October to winning the Gr.3 Eagle Technology Stakes five weeks later.

The gelding continued his roll to claim the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile on New Year’s Day and two runs later he stepped up to a middle distance for the first time to down Rising Romance in the Gr.1 New Zealand Stakes.

The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained Sakhee’s Soldier returned to their Cambridge stable five weeks ago following surgery.

“He had chips in both knees after the NZ Stakes and he was operated on immediately,” part-owner Alasdair Chisholm said.

“He spelled exceedingly well at The Oaks Stud and put on 65kg. He’s come back a bigger and stronger horse, which is exactly what Murray had told us 12 months ago.

“He’s just doing pace work and building up slowly and at this stage it’s all going well.”

Also instrumental to the development of Sakhee’s Soldier last season was the input of his regular rider Matt Cameron.

“We were lucky to have Matt – he taught him to settle and did a great job with the horse,” Chisholm said.

With a current rating of 104, Sakhee’s Soldier’s is likely to be restricted to weight-for-age racing later in the year.

“He would be carrying very big weights in handicaps so we’ll probably look at races like the Eagle Technology again, the Captain Cook Stakes and the Zabeel Classic on Boxing Day,” Chisholm said.

“We would also like to see him race in Australia so, all going well, he could go to Sydney next autumn.”