A two-time winner over 1600m and 1700m at Kranji, Saraab blew punters out of the water with an upset win in a speed dash over 1000m on Sunday.
The Argentinian-bred five-year-old was also resuming after a few leg issues, but the way he upstaged smart up-and-coming speedsters like Zac Kasa, Mokastar and Autumn Rush at their own game could not have been a more resounding proof he was back in superb nick.
The speed was well and truly on in the $100,000 Tabcorp Holdings Trophy, a Kranji Stakes B race with Kratos (Saifudin Ismail) setting steady sectionals at the head of affairs.
Constant Justice (Glen Boss), Mokastar (Krisna Thangamani) and Marine Treasure (Zyrul Nor Azman) were all packed up right behind, waiting in the wings, but not resuming Lion City Cup placegetter Zac Kasa (Craig Grylls), who had dawdled out of the gates a fraction late and was trapped three deep at the rear, not really in a position you would like to see a $8 hotpot.
In the home straight, hopes were rekindled for the grey sprinter as he rocked up on the outside, looking like he could still conjure up a late blow, but the protagonists in front were not weakening. It was then clear Zac Kasa had his job cut out.
Mokastar was still in the mix, but Al Green (Vlad Duric) had his supporters on their feet when he came attacking the line on the outside.
But all this while, $141 shot Saraab (Olivier Placais) had cut the shortest path home along the rails, bursting through at the 150m as a most unexpected party-pooper.
It still looked tough to call as four horses finished locked together across the wire, but that stealth fighter in blue on the inside had slipped through to prevail by a short head from Al Green.
Marine Treasure took third place another short head away with Mokastar in fourth place separated by a similar margin. Zac Kasa was a shade disappointing in fifth another length away, but can only bounce back to his true self over slightly longer trips at his future assignments. The winning time was 59.58 seconds for the 1000m on the alternative track.
“The race was always going to be run at a good speed,” said winning trainer Michael Clements.
“He’s won three times (once over the mile in Argentina as well) over 1600m and further and in such a hot field, I wasn’t that confident.
“But Olivier placed him nicely in the race and didn’t give him too much pressure throughout. He then rode him strongly to the line.
“The horse had a few problems with his feet and was out of work for a while. He is lightly-raced, but he is a horse with a bit of potential going further.
“It was pretty exciting to see him win over a short distance today as that tells me he will be even better over further.”
Placais, who had never ridden the son of Heliostatic before, said he had a lapful of horse after his economical run buried away in the second half of the race.
“From the good draw (2), we had a perfect run at the back and when I took him in between horses, he responded very well with a good kick,” said the French jockey.
Saraab has now taken his record to three wins and three placings from nine starts for stakes earnings close to the $170,000 mark for the Al-Arabiya Stable.
