The career of So Si Bon is closer to the end than the beginning, but for the Lindsay Park stalwart there is some unfinished business.
The nine-year-old will line up for his 85th start, and potentially last, when he contests the Listed Lord Stakes (1700m) at Sandown on Monday.
After starting his career with Robbie Laing, winning a Pakenham synthetic maiden along with multiple Group 1 placings, So Si Bon joined the Lindsay Park stable at the end of his four-year-old spring campaign after attempting to savage another runner in the Sandown Classic.
At his first run for new trainers David Hayes and Tom Dabernig, So Si Bon again took a nip at former stablemate Missrock which saw him again sinbinned, and gelded.
So Si Bon eventually found his way into the winner’s enclosure, taking out the 2018 Lord Stakes (1700m) at Caulfield and current Lindsay Park trainers Ben and J D Hayes would like to add another feature race to the gelding’s record before retirement.
It has been 20 months since So Si Bon last tasted success, but he displayed encouraging signs at Sandown on December 10 finishing third behind Detonator Jack and Pounding.
Ben Hayes conceded he was fearful of the Good 3 ground at Sandown after So Si Bon had posted a poor effort at Moonee Valley in October on firm ground.
“He came through that last run really well so we’re pressing on to the Lord Stakes,” Hayes said.
“It’s a race we’ve won before, so we’ll try and win it again.
“He’s temperamental these days. If he wants to try, he tries, if he doesn’t then he won’t, and I think he would prefer a little more sting out of it than what he got the other day.
“A Good 4 or a track in the soft range is good for him and he’s not bad in heavy ground also and after that we’ll be talking to the owners and making decisions.”