Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young
Darryl Sherer
Cambridge couple Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young used the popular adage that timing is everything to their considerable advantage on the weekend as they as they produced a sparkling trans-Tasman stakes double.
Set to relocate to a new training base at Cranbourne in July this year the couple produced the perfect headline grabber as underrated three-year-old Tavago dominated his age group rivals to take out the Gr. 1 ATC Derby on the first day of The Championships at Royal Randwick.
The victory came off the back of a near perfect result back in New Zealand where Mabeel led from go to whoa to score handsomely in Listed company at Awapuni, just a race after promising two-year-old Sicario finished a narrow second in the Gr. 1 Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes at just his second raceday appearance.
Although suffering a little the morning after the celebrations that surrounded their Derby victory, Young was quick to admit the result couldn't have come at a better time for the pair.
"It was simply a magic day and one that makes all the hard work worth it," she said when contacted on Sunday morning.
"We've taken on a massive challenge with our move to Cranbourne as we are only taking twenty horses from our current operation with us. That means we have another twenty boxes to fill which always looks a little daunting so the result we got on Saturday will hopefully make it a little easier to increase our numbers.
"The congratulations and support we've received after the races today has been just amazing with people already mentioning they would like to take a share in a horse with us. That is very encouraging so now we just have to capitalise on that momentum."
Speculation on the next assignment for their Derby winner was rife immediately after Saturday's victory with Young indicating a tilt at the Melbourne Spring Carnival staying features later in the year was currently the preferred option.
"He has pulled up superbly well and was very bright and bouncing around when I took him for a walk this morning," she said.
"There has been talk of pressing on to the Queensland Derby but we think it might be best to send him to the paddock now as we are looking at the Melbourne Spring Carnival as a priority.
"We think he can only get better as he fully matures so the best thing for him is to give him a decent break before we have a crack at those big Cups in Melbourne if he comes up like we think he will."
Young also confirmed that both Mabeel and Sicario would be two of the twenty horses heading to Cranbourne from their existing team.
"Mabeel has just gone from strength to strength in this campaign," she said.
"We made the right decision to scratch him at Tauranga last time as he just wouldn't have handled the track there. Although it was wet at Awapuni it was a lot looser and he got through it well.
"Sicario is an exciting prospect as he is still as green as grass and will be a big improver once he learns what racing is all about."
Both horses will now be seen at Ellerslie later in the month with Mabeel to tackle the Gr. 1 Manco Easter Stakes (1600m) on the 23rd of April while Sicario will contest the Listed Champagne Stakes (1600m) on the same day. – NZ Racing Desk
Set to relocate to a new training base at Cranbourne in July this year the couple produced the perfect headline grabber as underrated three-year-old Tavago dominated his age group rivals to take out the Gr. 1 ATC Derby on the first day of The Championships at Royal Randwick.
The victory came off the back of a near perfect result back in New Zealand where Mabeel led from go to whoa to score handsomely in Listed company at Awapuni, just a race after promising two-year-old Sicario finished a narrow second in the Gr. 1 Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes at just his second raceday appearance.
Although suffering a little the morning after the celebrations that surrounded their Derby victory, Young was quick to admit the result couldn't have come at a better time for the pair.
"It was simply a magic day and one that makes all the hard work worth it," she said when contacted on Sunday morning.
"We've taken on a massive challenge with our move to Cranbourne as we are only taking twenty horses from our current operation with us. That means we have another twenty boxes to fill which always looks a little daunting so the result we got on Saturday will hopefully make it a little easier to increase our numbers.
"The congratulations and support we've received after the races today has been just amazing with people already mentioning they would like to take a share in a horse with us. That is very encouraging so now we just have to capitalise on that momentum."
Speculation on the next assignment for their Derby winner was rife immediately after Saturday's victory with Young indicating a tilt at the Melbourne Spring Carnival staying features later in the year was currently the preferred option.
"He has pulled up superbly well and was very bright and bouncing around when I took him for a walk this morning," she said.
"There has been talk of pressing on to the Queensland Derby but we think it might be best to send him to the paddock now as we are looking at the Melbourne Spring Carnival as a priority.
"We think he can only get better as he fully matures so the best thing for him is to give him a decent break before we have a crack at those big Cups in Melbourne if he comes up like we think he will."
Young also confirmed that both Mabeel and Sicario would be two of the twenty horses heading to Cranbourne from their existing team.
"Mabeel has just gone from strength to strength in this campaign," she said.
"We made the right decision to scratch him at Tauranga last time as he just wouldn't have handled the track there. Although it was wet at Awapuni it was a lot looser and he got through it well.
"Sicario is an exciting prospect as he is still as green as grass and will be a big improver once he learns what racing is all about."
Both horses will now be seen at Ellerslie later in the month with Mabeel to tackle the Gr. 1 Manco Easter Stakes (1600m) on the 23rd of April while Sicario will contest the Listed Champagne Stakes (1600m) on the same day. – NZ Racing Desk