Noblet Happy With Sistine Demon Ahead Of Oakleigh Plate

Talented sprinter Sistine Demon will return to the races in the 2015 Oakleigh Plate and trainer Andrew Noblet is happy with his star galloper ahead of the Group 1 event at Caulfield this weekend.

Sistine Demon will return to racing at Group 1 level in the 2015 Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield on Saturday. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Sistine Demon will return to racing at Group 1 level in the 2015 Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield on Saturday. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Sistine Demon was sent to the spelling paddock after he suffered a hamstring injury when seventh in the Listed Weekend Hussler Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on October 11 and Noblet said that the Excites gelding took plenty of benefit from his stint away from racing.

The five-year-old contested a barrier trial at Cranbourne on Monday and finished eight lengths behind the speedy Lord Of The Sky, but Noblet told Racing Ahead that he was still happy with the performance of consistent sprinter and believes that he is ready to perform well in the Oakleigh Plate this weekend.

“He has come through it really well,” Noblet said.

“He had a nice spell after that and he came through the run with a pulled hamstring muscle and was a bit sore across his hindquarters.

“He has come back into work and his work has been good.

“He had a trial on Monday, which we were quite happy with and he looks like he is coming up ok.

“We gave him a trial the way that we wanted to ride him and we certainly didn’t want to be out there taking that other horse on and giving him too hard a run.

“On his first-up run last time in I thought it was a really good run and going on his work if he finished in the first half a dozen that would be very acceptable.”

Sistine Demon recorded an impressive five straight wins during his summer campaign 12 months ago and after having his winning streak ended in the Listed Kilmore Cup (1600m) he went on to record a maiden win at black type level in the Listed Super Saturday Stakes (1400m) at Flemington.

He went on to stamp himself as a genuine performer at Stakes level when he recorded a dominant six lengths win in the Group 3 Victoria Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield, but he failed to fire when given a maiden opportunity at the highest level of racing in the Group 1 The Goodwood (1200m) in Adelaide.

Sistine Demon returned to Group 1 level in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival, but he was unable to prove he was up to that class and he finished at the tail of the field.

The 2015 Oakleigh Plate field was released this morning and Sistine Demon will face 17 rivals in the Group 1 event.

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.