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Mirage Dancer ready for Caulfield Cup assault

3 minute read

Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young trained Mirage Dancer will be lining up for the Group 1 Caulfield Cup.

MIRAGE DANCER.
MIRAGE DANCER. Picture: Steve Hart

Following the disappointment of Tagaloa finishing last in the Caulfield Guineas, Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young are looking for redemption in the Caulfield Cup

The training partners will have Mirage Dancer line up in the $5 million Group 1 race on Saturday having finished third in the corresponding contest 12 months ago. 

Mirage Dancer finally broke through for his first victory on Australian soil when successful in the Group 1 Metropolitan at Randwick on October 3 and the trainers are hopeful that success is the confident booster Mirage Dancer needs to take out Saturday's race. 

Young said Mirage Dancer prior to running in the Metropolitan had to take a diversion to a spelling farm. 

Mirage Dancer had finished fourth in the Group 3 JRA Cup at The Valley on September 25 and was in NSW a few days later. 

"We got him up to Sydney on the Monday and he had a few days up at a water walker before he could go to the stable," Young said. 

"And then they changed the protocols the day after he got up there. 

"He's returned from Sydney really well and will have a gallop on Tuesday. 

"We've just ticked him over during the week and kept him happy. He's been eating everything. 

"He's still got freshness in his legs and he's got 55kg which should be ideal, so we'll see how he gallops on Tuesday." 

Busuttin and Young still have former French galloper Skyward in the Caulfield Cup but at number 30 in the ballot order are resigned to the five-year-old not making the field. 

Instead Skyward will head to the $400,000 Listed Geelong Cup (2400m) on October 21. 

"He had a bit of a blow after his gallop on Saturday morning so he'll definitely need a run before the Melbourne Cup," Young said. 

"We've been really happy with his work, super happy with how he travelled over. 

"He looks outstanding and we don't have to tweak much in his coat. 

"He'll have a gallop on Tuesday and then he'll be ready to roll into the Geelong Cup. 

"He's a pretty exciting horse and what we've seen of him so far he's really impressed us. 

"I might even give him a spin." 

After suffering an ankle injury, Young stepped away from riding work to being more hands on around the stable, but recently has been back riding some work. 

"I have come out of retirement a bit of late unfortunately and I don't know how that's happened," Young said. 

"I do like to watch the gallops, but it's good to jump on one every now and then."


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