Trainer Saimee Jumaat is hoping recent maiden winner Danzeb has trained on as he goes head-on against meatier opposition in Friday’s $60,000 Class 4 race over 1400m.
The first-year handler has always detected a certain level of ability in the Thewayyouare five-year-old as evidenced by the five placings he saddled him to at seven previous outings before he finally hit paydirt at his last start in a Maiden race over 1200m on September 22.
What did surprise the former Singapore eight-time champion jockey was the way he bucked the trend.
More of a noted backmarker, that night, Danzeb wheeled away to the front and after being perfectly summed up by Oscar Chavez, dug deep to outlast the fast-finishing Nova Classic.
Whether Danzeb will stick to that formula on Friday remains to be seen, but Saimee could not fault the Al Arabiya Stable-owned galloper on the eve of his 10th assignment.
“Danzeb pulled up very well after his last win. He has earned a shot at a Class 4 race over 1400m,” he said.
“At his last win, he ran over 1200m and raced out of his usual racing pattern. Oscar said he jumped so well from his barrier No 1, and I think it was because he had been freshened up and was first-up over 1200m.
“I think he came to the end of his campaign at his previous run when he was caught wide (fifth to Redoubt in an Initiation race over 1600m in July). We gave him a short break and he’s come back good.
“I’m happy to see him go into this race back onto turf. He has shown he can handle both surfaces – turf and Polytrack.”
Danzeb will again be ridden by Chavez and has drawn moderately in seven this time. He will meet stronger material like Katagas, Lim’s Greeting and Made In China, but Saimee sees no reason why he cannot measure up.
“He’s up in class, but he seems to have maintained his form and I think he should be up to it,” he said.
