That performance and his other feats on the racetrack are being talked about again following the sad news of his recent passing, aged 23.
Warren Stewart, the father of Safari's former trainer Emma Stewart, said the horse was deeply loved and cared for right up until his death last week.
"He was tough, didn't give in and had a bit of speed too," Warren recalled.
"I loved him, I honestly loved the horse.
"At home they all reckoned he was a raving lunatic, but he was quiet. It was just when he went to the races, he let everyone know 'hey, I'm the king and I'm here'."
Safari's victory in the 2008 Ballarat Pacing Cup proved his only Group 1 amongst 28 lifetime wins, but was a race that certainly defined his career.
Brian Gath's tactics to win the feature are legendary, with the master reinsman driving Safari tough outside Blacks A Fake and continually pouring the pressure on the Queensland star before eventually wearing him down in the straight.
"To me, that race was unbelievable," Warren said.
"That's the best run I ever saw from him. Ever."
Safari would race just four more times following that Ballarat Pacing Cup triumph, with a fourth in the A. G Hunter Cup backed up by an Inter Dominion qualifying victory and fourth placing behind Blacks A Fake in the final at Moonee Valley.
He then held off Decorated Jasper to win a free-for-all at Bendigo in August 2008 before time was called on a career that spanned some eight years and returned more than $500,000 in prizemoney.
Safari was trained initially by Clayton Tonkin before Emma Stewart's name appeared in the racebook for the back half of his career.
The horse also enjoyed a long and successful journey at stud and was eventually retired to the stable complex in Cardigan, near Ballarat.
"When we retired him from serving mares, he came here," Warren said.
"Most of his progeny were tough."
Among the best of Safari's babies were Berisari, who won 21 races and over $370,000 for Emma Stewart, and Emain Macha, who claimed 35 wins for South Australian trainer Greg Scholefield.
