Three-year-old stayer Rising Red has booked a ticket to his homeland following a tenacious victory at Sandown over 2100m on Wednesday.
The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained galloper will travel to New Zealand for the $1 million Gr.1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie on March 4.
Given a good ride by Dwayne Dunn, Rising Red defeated older rivals in the OTI Handicap to notch his second win from eight starts.
"He's no superstar, but he's a good honest horse," Busuttin said. "These are tough older horses he's racing against and he's only three.
"It was a perfect ride by Dwayne. It is probably the only time he has come through nice and straight – he's always hung in and been a bit of a goose but he's done everything right today.
"He probably doesn't have the class to win a Derby, but it's worth a million dollars and they can get a wet Derby over there and he'd swim through it. As long as he pulls up well he'll be on the plane over there."
Rising Red is raced by New Zealanders John and Victoria Carter, along with several staff members at the Cranbourne Turf Club, including Chief Executive Neil Bainbridge.
Busuttin and Young have made a good impact on the Victorian training ranks since relocating to Cranbourne from New Zealand last year sending out 23 winners to date. – NZ Racing Desk.
The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained galloper will travel to New Zealand for the $1 million Gr.1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie on March 4.
Given a good ride by Dwayne Dunn, Rising Red defeated older rivals in the OTI Handicap to notch his second win from eight starts.
"He's no superstar, but he's a good honest horse," Busuttin said. "These are tough older horses he's racing against and he's only three.
"It was a perfect ride by Dwayne. It is probably the only time he has come through nice and straight – he's always hung in and been a bit of a goose but he's done everything right today.
"He probably doesn't have the class to win a Derby, but it's worth a million dollars and they can get a wet Derby over there and he'd swim through it. As long as he pulls up well he'll be on the plane over there."
Rising Red is raced by New Zealanders John and Victoria Carter, along with several staff members at the Cranbourne Turf Club, including Chief Executive Neil Bainbridge.
Busuttin and Young have made a good impact on the Victorian training ranks since relocating to Cranbourne from New Zealand last year sending out 23 winners to date. – NZ Racing Desk.