Seaburge will head to the 2016 ATC Sires Produce Stakes in Sydney during The Championships after he recorded an impressive victory in the VRC Sires Produce Stakes at Flemington this afternoon.
Jockey Mark Zahra elected to settle Seaburge just off the speed in the early stages of the VRC Sires Produce Stakes and he stayed on the rails throughout the Group 2 event.
Blake Shinn elected to take Detective off the rails and that opened up the run for Seaburge, who drifted towards the centre of the track, but was still able to record a strong win.
Zahra was impressed with the performance of Seaburge and he expects the son of Sebring to be even more effective when he gets out to races over 1400 metres and a mile.
“He has the ability to really switch off in the run and the turn-of-foot is electric and he showed it there,” Zahra said.
“They walked early and I thought that it was going to be a little sticky three back, but then the leader really kicked at the 600 and I was able to slide up.
“I was an apprentice to Lindsay Park and it is great to get a Group 2 on the board for them.”
Co-trainer David Hayes has had a high opinion of Seaburge since he entered the Lindsay Park stable and he was delighted to score a lucrative race with the talented colt.
Hayes confirmed that Seaburge will contest the Group 1 Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 2 and he believes that the Criterion lookalike could develop into a Caulfield Guineas contender.
“It is a springboard to next spring,” Hayes said.
“He wasn’t racing for $200,000, he was racing for millions today because that is the value this puts on a quality colt.
“From the moment he arrived in the stable he was a bit special and he was brought because we thought he looks like Criterion.
“He has that sort of action of Criterion and let’s hope he ends up half as good.
“The plan is to go for the Sires, but we will see how he pulls up.
“We really consider him as a long-term Guineas target and he has the score on the board.”
Detective was game to the line to finish second for the fourth time in as many starts, while Revolving Door found the line well to finish third.
