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By Ray Hickson

In the five years of the Group 2 $1 million Newcastle Herald Hunter (1300m) it’s taken a proven topliner to win the race but has the Hunter seen a horse like Briasa?

Jockey Tyler Schiller (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Inaugural winner Savatiano, Sweet Deal, Lost And Running, Vilana and last year’s champ Coal Crusher were already proven at a high level when they ventured to Newcastle.

Briasa’s jockey Tyler Schiller, who won the Hunter on Coal Crusher, said the grey is easily the most promising horse in the feature sprint with his record of five wins from six starts.

“The more I look at the field the more confident I get,’’ Schiller said.

“A lot of the horses in it have reached their mark, or are hit and miss, he’s consistent every run so I can’t fault him.

“We haven’t seen the best of him I know that.”

Schiller has a record of three wins from as many rides on Briasa, $2.80 with TAB on Friday, and interestingly his view of the gelding has grown with each win.

The four-year-old won a super maiden on debut in March with Schiller on board and at the time he thought he was a nice horse.

“I did think he was a good horse but it was hard to put him into this category,’’ Schiller said.

“I didn’t think he was a stakes horse when I rode him that day but I knew he had a lot of improvement.

“He’ll have to be bringing his best but he’s got the right attributes to make a good horse. He has tactical pace and does everything comfortably, and he’s a good workhorse at home.”

Briasa couldn’t have had an easier lead up to The Hunter as he scored as a $1.45 chance on the Kensington track on October 30.

Given his experience on last year’s winner, Schiller has a good idea about how the race will be run and he’s confident Briasa will be suited.

“Felix Majestic will go quick enough to make Coal Crusher work and it’ll be interesting to see how quick they go,’’ he said.

“He’s got that natural pace, he’ll show early speed without over working and hopefully not revving him up too much.

“If he can not have to chase a hot speed, if he can get something to sit off it’d be fantastic.”

The Hunter sees the return of John O’Shea and Tom Charlton’s honest six-year-old Cotehele from a setback having not raced since last year’s Little Dance.

O’Shea said the stable has been patient with Cotehele and hopes he can make a positive return and set up his summer campaign.

“He seems to have come back really well off a little setback,’’ he said.

Briasa wins at Kensington on October 30

“It was only muscular but we just wanted to make sure he was 100 per cent before we got him going again.

“It’s a good time of year for him. He’s a lovely little Group 3 and Group 2 horse and as a result you can duck and weave a bit and try and slot him into those races where he can be competitive.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Newcastle meeting