By Emma Berry
The New Zealand training partnership of Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young planted a significant flag in Australian soil ahead of their planned move to Victoria in July with the impressive G1 BMW Australian Derby victory of Tavago (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}).
Breaking well and settled just off the leading pack by jockey Tommy Berry, the winner relished the significant ease in the ground and found a gap on the rail turning for home before unleashing his strong challenge down the straight. At the line, the 30-1 shot was three and a quarter lengths clear of the Crown Oaks winner and early pace-setter Jameka (Aus) (Myboycharlie {Ire}), with Godolphin's Tally (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) another length and a quarter back in third.
“He was a good thing beaten in the New Zealand Derby, so we threw him on the plane and he has just improved,” said Busuttin, who also won the 2011 Victoria Derby with Sangster (NZ) (Savabeel {Aus}). “It's taken us a while to get another one and it's certainly a good one to win.”
The race favourite was another son of Cambridge Stud stallion Tavistock, Tarzino (NZ), who landed the most recent running of the Victoria Derby and also claimed the G1 Rosehill Guineas on his previous start but had to settle for fourth behind his paternal half-brother after appearing to race too keenly in the early stages.
Busuttin commented, “Tavistocks, they are just great horses and Tommy Berry give {Tavago] the gun ride, box-seated and he was looking good a long way out. He was quite confident before the race, he said it is evening out so I said you're the best and just do what you do.”
His co-trainer Young added, “We've got the Queensland Derby in mind so we might give him a rest for a couple of weeks and just see how he pulls up.”
Tommy Berry, winner of the G1 Hong Kong Derby on Designs on Rome (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) but previously without a Derby win on home turf claimed the victory was “one of the best thrills in racing.”
The jockey, who later in the afternoon won the G1 Darley TJ Smith S. on Chautauqua (Aus), said of Tavago, “I was confident because how often do you see Trent Busuttin come over with a horse and when he does, he's confident, they run well, knew he would stay all day so I took a bit of a shortcut home on the corner but he was very strong on the line. I can't thank Trent enough for giving me the ride. He's a champion bloke and glad I could win for the Kiwis.”
Tavago is the fourth Group 1 winner for his sire, along with Tarzino, Volkstokn'barrell (NZ) and Hong Kong Derby victor Werther (NZ).His dam, the Stravinsky mare Sara Ann (NZ), has a 2-year-old filly by Cape Blanco (Ire) named Blanco Cara (NZ), along with a yearling colt by Ocean Park (Aus). A full-sister to Tavago was born on Nov. 1.
Saturday, Randwick, Australia
AUSTRALIAN DERBY-G1, A$2,131,000, ATC, 4-2, 3yo, Open Set Weight, 2400mT, 2:33.67, Soft.
1–&TAVAGO (NZ), 56.5, g, 3, by Tavistock (NZ)
1st Dam: Sara Ann (NZ), by Stravinsky (USA)
2nd Dam: Tricia Ann (NZ), by Zabeel (NZ)
3rd Dam: My Tricia (NZ), by Hermes (GB)
(NZ$60,000 Ylg 2014 NZB National Yearling Sale) O-S Oldfield,
K Banks, Mrs P Hatchard & R Taylor; B-Sir Patrick & Lady
Hogan, Mrs C A & J H Kelly, Waikato, NZ; T-T L Busuttin;
J-Tommy Berry; A$1,331,000. Lifetime Record: GSW-NZ,
7-3-1-1, A$1,395,955. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Jameka, 54.5, f, 3, Myboycharlie (IRE)–Mine Game, by
General Nediym. (A$130,000 Ylg 2014 WI Melbourne Premier
Yearling Sale) O-C L Maher, Mrs J M Mckenna, D Degenhardt, T
A Cole-Sinclair, M R Fallon, G M Verdoorn, S Priestley & Mrs S
A Cockram, Ms J Nolte, M Mills, & Halo Racing Services Pty Ltd
(Mgr: C B ; B-Gilgai Farm VIC; T-C Maher; J-D Oliver;
A$400,000.
3–Tally, 56.5, c, 3, Street Cry (IRE)–Itemise (USA), by Kris S
(USA). O-Godolphin; B-Darley NSW; T-J A O'Shea; J-J B Mc
Donald; A$200,000.
Margins: 3.3 len, 4.6 len, 7.0 len. Odds: 30.00, 7.00, 7.00.
Also Ran: Tarzino (NZ), Etymology, What's the Story (NZ), Gold Ambition (NZ), Sovereign Nation, Vanbrugh, Torgersen (NZ), Crosley Hotshot, Alfden, Oh So Splendido (NZ).
Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.
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