The now Cranbourne-based New Zealand trainer Trent Busuttin is eyeing a Crown Oaks 2016 bid with his lightly-raced filly Knew It this Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.
Omei Sword is pre-nomination favourite in futures Crown Oaks 2016 betting this Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival. Photo: Steve Hart.
The lightly-raced daughter of O’Reilly has had just the one run to date when winning her debut at Benalla this week in the wet.
Knew It lined up in a maiden set-weights plate over 1206m on a Heavy (10) track on Monday and saluted for the punters as the odds-on $1.95 favourite by a length with Michael Walker in the saddle.
The follow day Busuttin, who trains in partnership with Natalie Young, paid the first acceptance fee for the filly in the $500,000 Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m).
Run at Caulfield Racecourse over the mile on October 8, Busuttin believes the 2016 Thousand Guineas will likely come too soon for Knew It.
He hasn’t ruled out an elite level run in her opening preparation however.
Looking further ahead to the Melbourne Cup Carnival, Busuttin said the $1 million Group 1 Crown Oaks (2500m) at Flemington Racecourse on Thursday November 3 was shaping up as a good aim.
“I’m probably thinking Oaks,” he told Racing Ahead on RSN.
“She’s bred to get over a trip.
“Whether it all comes too soon for her this spring, but we will give her an opportunity to get there.”
2016 Crown Oaks nominations close on September 20.
Early pre-nomination Crown Oaks betting markets at bookmakers around the country are narrowly led by the Chris Waller-trained Omei Sword.
She won the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) first-up and is current favourite to win again at Rosehill on Saturday in the $1 million Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m).
The Melbourne options later in the carnival are wide open for Omei Sword who was a first acceptor for not only the Thousand Guineas and Caulfield Guineas, but also the $3 million Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 22.
Other top Crown Oaks fancies in the tentative markets include the Lindsay Park-trained Tavistock filly Harlow Gold, Group 1 winner Yankee Rose who runs first-up in the Golden Rose on Saturday, the Henry Dwyer-trained Leotie and Simon Miller’s WA raider Whispering Brook who has won five of her six career starts.
Another exciting Busuttin & Young-trained three-year-old this season meanwhile is El Sicario who is on track for a shot at the $1 million Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) next month.
“That’s certainly the aim. He’ll tell us how far he can get,” Busuttin said.
The Bullbars gelding has had four starts to date including a Group 1 second back in New Zealand in early April.
He travelled down under later in the autumn but failed to handle the challenge when second last (ninth) beaten over 16 lengths by Prized Icon in Randwick’s Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m).
First-up on September 1 El Sicario won a 3YO Maiden Plate (1200m) at Pakenham and he pays $26 in futures Caulfield Guineas markets.
Back your favourite three-year-olds this weekend and over the spring at the right price at Ladbrokes.com.au – home of Odds Boost (T&Cs apply).
