Former New Zealand galloper Chuck A Luck (NZ) (Niagara) will take his next step towards the Gr.1 South Australian Derby (2500m) when he lines-up in the Neds Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained gelding has been in fine form since joining their Cranbourne stable this year, placing first-up before winning over a mile at Mornington last start.
The son of Niagara has pleased his trainers with his efforts to date and they are hoping for another strong showing on Saturday.
“He didn’t have much luck first-up and he stuck his neck out on the line second-up,” Busuttin said.
“He may be looking for 2000m now, but we just wanted to give him another mile before getting him up over 2000m.
“It is a nice race for him but there are some handy horses in there. Russian Camelot goes very well and we do have an awkward draw of barrier nine to overcome.
“But Jye McNeil (jockey) is in very good form and it appears the cut is going to be out of the track, it will be a Soft6 or 7. The horse will certainly enjoy that.”
A Group performer in New Zealand for former trainers Michael and Matthew Pitman, Busuttin is hopeful Chuck A Luck can be competitive at elite-level in Australia.
“His immediate target will be the South Australian Derby,” Busuttin said. “He gives every impression that he is going to get over ground, but the next couple of starts will tell the story.”
Later on the card, New Zealand-bred gelding Salsamor (NZ) (Tavistock) will represent the stable in the Remember Roy Higgins Handicap (2000m).
“He is starting to get up in the weights now, but Thomas Stockdale is riding great and his three kilos is a blessing at the moment,” Busuttin said.
“He has got a good draw (5) and he is going to put himself up on pace. He is going to have a wet track, which he enjoys. He will have to lift with the bigger weight (59.5kg), but he will be competitive.”
Meanwhile, the stable will have two runners at Randwick on Saturday, including Mirage Dancer (Frankel) in the Gr.2 Chairman’s Quality (2600m).
Busuttin believes the son of Frankel is a strong chance on Saturday and he is looking forward to teaming up with Kiwi hoop Opie Bosson.
“Mirage Dancer is dropping back in class. He didn’t see out the two miles of the Melbourne Cup and 2600m is probably as far as he wants to go,” Busuttin said.
“We have got Opie Bosson on who is a gun rider. He will ride him cold from a wide gate (14) and give him every chance to get the 2600m. On class, he is probably better than the horses he meets on Saturday.”
While looking forward to Saturday, Busuttin said he was pleased with the winning efforts of Animator (Encosta de Lago) at Pakenham on Thursday.
Animator was formerly trained in New Zealand by Brendon Hawtin who joined the Busuttin barn as stable foreman last year.
“Brendon has been with us for six months now,” Busuttin said. “He has been a great acquisition for the stable.
“He is a very good trainer in his own right, he has won a Group One. He is in charge of one of our barns where he has 35 horses under his care.
“He brought Animator over for us, who has a hurdle campaign in-mind for this winter. He won fresh-up at Pakenham last night, so things are going well.”
The Busuttin and Young stable also sent out maiden winner Bumrah (NZ) (Niagara) at the Pakenham meeting, the son of Niagara having had one start in New Zealand for Sandie Cookson when finding the line well for fourth.
While New Zealand racing has temporarily ceased under Covid-19 alert level 4 restrictions, racing has continued in Victoria, which is not in lockdown, and Busuttin said he has been impressed with the industry and Government’s approach to the pandemic.
“It’s a bit strange at the races with no one there,” Busuttin said. “It was very noticeable at the Golden Slipper meeting, it was very eerie.
“The authorities are doing a great job over here to follow every precaution, making sure everyone is keeping at least 1.5m apart and they have limited the number of people on track.
“You are doing pre and post-race interviews over the phone to the studio at some of the meetings.
“I know the Government wants racing to continue because they realise the importance of it. I think there are 45,000 people employed in racing in Victoria directly.
“We are at full-capacity and we are fully staffed. We have got 40 staff and if we shut down there are 40 people out of a job, so it’s very important racing keeps going.”
It has been trying times for the industry of late and Busuttin said having a horse like Gr.1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) winner Tagaloa (Lord Kanaloa) in the stable couldn’t have come at a better time.
“Everything comes back to winning at the end of the day, and winning the big ones,” he said.
“Every trainer knows you need that flagship horse and he is it for us at the moment.
“Hopefully he comes back in the spring, but it has certainly been positive for us to win a major two-year-old race.”
