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Busuttin-Young Derby contenders thriving; Meritable to fly Guineas flag; Cup still on the cards for star mare;

Busuttin-Young Derby contenders thriving

Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young ran one-two in the Gr.2 Moonee Valley Vase (2040m) last Saturday with Forgot You and Commander Harry, and the expat Kiwi trainers are hoping to repeat the feat in the Gr.1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington on Saturday.

The couple has been pleased with the way Forgot You has come through his weekend run and said he is thriving ahead of his Derby assignment.

"He has come through it super. He had a tough enough run on Saturday but we were keen to have one," Busuttin told RSN927.

"He is a big, strong colt who smashes through his feed and he thrives on it. We were always going to have the one-week back-up off the Vase.

"The Vase record tells you it's the right race but he has certainly come through it good enough."

The Cranbourne trainer was thrilled with fellow Kiwi-bred Commander Harry's performance on Saturday, with the $101 outsider just coming up short against his stablemate.

"One is $3 and the other one is $20 (for the Derby) and there was a nose between them (on Saturday)," Busuttin said.

"He (Commander Harry) was nominated for the race, like you do at the start of the spring.

"He is only a light horse and we didn't really expect him to get there but he is thriving and he raced well. He is a tough little bugger so he will take his place."

Meanwhile, fellow Kiwi-bred Sierra Sue will be looking to add to her Group One record when she contests the Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) on the same Flemington card.

"She had the heart fibrillation in the Toorak (Gr.1, 1600m) and we have been treading water," Busuttin said.

"She galloped up fantastic on Tuesday morning and at this stage she will definitely take her place."

Meritable to fly Guineas flag

Snitzel colt Meritable is likely to be the only Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) representative for trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman.

He booked his passage south for the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai-sponsored feature with a last-start second behind the unbeaten Pareanui Bay in the Gr.2 Sarten Memorial (1400m) at Te Rapa on Labour Day Monday.

"He was very good and just got left in front a fair way out, which was frustrating, and a very good horse ran over the top of him and they obviously put a gap on some pretty handy horses," Forsman said.

Turn The Ace finished fifth in the Sarten and is likely to stay closer to home for the rest of his preparation.

"We'll make a call on Turn The Ace in the next day or two, but probably leaning toward not sending him, there are plenty of other good options for him up here," Forsman said.

Cup still on the cards for star mare

Star New Zealand-bred mare Verry Elleegant will likely take her place in the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington next Tuesday.

The daughter of Zed finished third in last Saturday's Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley and part-owner Ozzie Kheir said she has come through the race well, with the decision on whether she will head to the Cup coming down to trainer Chris Waller.

"We are still contemplating whether we press on to the Melbourne Cup and we are leaving that to Chris at the moment," Kheir told Racing.com.

"I think Chris is waiting to see how she comes through that run, so we'll make that call in the next 48 hours.

"I think if we run again, we'll most likely run in the Cup."