Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young
Darryl Sherer
Rising Red can earn himself a trip across the Tasman with a bold showing in Melbourne on Wednesday.
The New Zealand-bred son of Redwood will be on trial for a tilt at the Gr.1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby when he steps out in a Benchmark 70 event over 2100 metres at Sandown.
Rising Red, who races in the same colours as the top mare Rising Romance, has a win and five placings from his seven starts for Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, who transferred their training operation from Cambridge to Cranbourne last year.
The New Zealand-bred son of Redwood will be on trial for a tilt at the Gr.1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby when he steps out in a Benchmark 70 event over 2100 metres at Sandown.
Rising Red, who races in the same colours as the top mare Rising Romance, has a win and five placings from his seven starts for Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, who transferred their training operation from Cambridge to Cranbourne last year.
Rising Red (far left) finishing runner-up to Farson (centre) at Moonee Valley
Darryl Sherer
"He's probably under the odds a bit at $2.50, because he's up against some tough older horses, but we are definitely looking at the New Zealand Derby and if he goes a good race and finishes in the top four, he will probably go over," Busuttin said.
"He's not a superstar, but he will run 2400m. A wet track wouldn't worry him and it's a million-dollar race. He's an improving horse and I could see him running in the top five at Ellerslie.
"We also nominated him for the Autumn Classic at Caulfield on Saturday, which is a $A200,000 three-year-old race over 1800m, but the Sandown race works better as a Derby lead-up. The timing and the distance suit better.
"You have to take advantage of the good money for the three-year-olds when you can. There's no such thing as a bad Derby field and the Ellerslie field looks to be an even line-up," Busuttin said.
"You couldn't knock Sacred Elixir, though there must be a question mark as to whether he is at his best. Savile Row looks a good horse and Donna Logan and Murray Baker know how to win a Derby."
A maiden winner in the spring, Rising Red was having his first run for seven weeks when he finished a luckless second over 1600m at Moonee Valley on February 10.
"He got held up and should have won," Busuttin said. – NZ Racing Desk.
"He's not a superstar, but he will run 2400m. A wet track wouldn't worry him and it's a million-dollar race. He's an improving horse and I could see him running in the top five at Ellerslie.
"We also nominated him for the Autumn Classic at Caulfield on Saturday, which is a $A200,000 three-year-old race over 1800m, but the Sandown race works better as a Derby lead-up. The timing and the distance suit better.
"You have to take advantage of the good money for the three-year-olds when you can. There's no such thing as a bad Derby field and the Ellerslie field looks to be an even line-up," Busuttin said.
"You couldn't knock Sacred Elixir, though there must be a question mark as to whether he is at his best. Savile Row looks a good horse and Donna Logan and Murray Baker know how to win a Derby."
A maiden winner in the spring, Rising Red was having his first run for seven weeks when he finished a luckless second over 1600m at Moonee Valley on February 10.
"He got held up and should have won," Busuttin said. – NZ Racing Desk.