Price counts on outside chance for bonus shot with Sabaj in The Ingham

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By Craig Kerry

December 11, 2025 — 5.00pm

Trainer Mick Price declared it was job done for Sabaj after his last-start win in the Cranbourne Cup.

The temptation, though, to chase a $2 million race, The Ingham (1600m) on Saturday at Randwick, over the same trip with just 53 kilograms was too great.

Beau Mertens celebrates winning on Sabaj in the Cranbourne Cup on November 22.

Now the Victorian trainer hopes a wide gate proves a blessing in disguise for his progressive four-year-old.

Sabaj took his career record to five wins and two seconds across eight starts with victory in the listed $500,000 Cranbourne Cup on November 22.

A $6 (TAB) chance, he brings different form lines to the Ingham market, which had back-to-back Big Dance and The Gong champion Gringotts ($4.20) and last-start Festival Stakes winner Yorkshire ($4.80) at the top. The winner secures a start in the $4 million Doncaster Mile at Randwick on April 4.

Gringotts had drifted in betting after drawing the extreme outside gate in the 20-horse field. Sabaj also fared poorly at the draw and will start one spot closer in.

Price lamented the barrier but held no fears about a potential wet track after Sabaj’s win on a soft 7 at Flemington two starts back. Rain was forecast to continue on Friday and potentially hit Saturday afternoon. Victorian jockey Beau Mertens will stick with Sabaj, his only ride on the day.

“He will need a good ride,” Price said from Hong Kong this week.

“He did handle the wet track well so I guess the big Doncaster mile will be to his liking, but it’s obviously a bit of a jump up from the Cranbourne Cup, especially with that barrier.

“But we’re happy with the horse, he’s done very well. A spot three deep with cover would be nice, and he’s probably a better horse on the outside of other horses. He doesn’t like to be jammed up. He’s a big striding, free-going horse ... but it’s not easy from there.

“Beau knows how to ride that horse. He’s probably going to ride it a little bit similar to how he did in the Cranbourne Cup, although I think this will be different because they bunched. I don’t think they will be bunching in The Ingham.”

Sabaj, which started his career in Adelaide under Richard and Chantelle Jolly, has been out of the placings once, when debuting for the Price and Michael Kent jnr stable when sixth in the Silver Eagle (1300m) at Randwick on October 18 - his only run at the track.

He will be fourth up in The Ingham and Price is approaching the race as a bonus after Sabaj scraped into the initial field.

“I never intended to go too far with him,” he said.

“We knew he was spelling after the Cranbourne Cup because it did the job for us. It got his rating up, it got some prizemoney in the bank, but then, well, they put a $2 million race three weeks in front of you and you get a run.

“It goes a bit deep, if you are getting one ready for the autumn, but what can you do? If your objective is to win a $2 million race in the autumn, then what’s the difference?”

As for a return for Sabaj to Sydney in the autumn, he said: “It depends. He’s not a tough horse, so I’ve got to be careful.

“He will definitely spell then I’m not sure if he will end up in Sydney or Queensland for some nice races. He will get 2000 metres easy enough.”

Jockey Jason Collett, meanwhile, hopes Asterix and Barber can offset the disappointment of missing out on two attractive rides in the other features at Randwick.

Collett appeared to have his wish granted on Thursday when another Victorian contender, Persian Spirit, gained a start in The Ingham. The $7 chance was first emergency before Port Lockroy was scratched, but he too was withdrawn. Collett then had second emergency, Enxuto, but the $31 chance was likely to race instead at Pakenham.

Collett also missed out on Calamari Ring in the $400,000 Inglis Nursery, a race Collett won last year on Within The Law. The Ciaron Maher-trained filly was favourite after winning the Inglis Banner at Flemington but was not among acceptances because of a setback.

In other features, Collett has last-start Beauford winner Asterix ($5.50) in the Christmas Cup (2400m) and Starlight Stakes runner-up Barber ($7) in the Razor Sharp (1200m).

Beau Mertens celebrates winning on Sabaj.

“He’s got some heavy track wins, so I don’t think an off track will be a concern,” he said of Asterix.

“He’s drawn a bit sticky compared to last start where he had a soft gate and got a soft run, so it’ll make the task more difficult, but he’s had a trial in between and he’s going really well.

“Barber, it was a great run last start. I rode him quieter and he flew home. The horse is going well, and 1200 shouldn’t be a problem.”