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Trainer Trent Busuttin says now is as good a time as any to test Brayden Star’s potential as a Five Diamonds prospect for the spring despite being handed the visitor’s draw at Rosehill on Saturday.
Trent Busuttin, who co-trains with Natalie Young, said the import isn't particularly well suited with top weight of 60.5kg after Dylan Gibbons' claim or a wide barrier but the TAB Handicap (1800m) is the right race to have a spin around Rosehill.
The $2 million Five Diamonds (1800m) is run on November 11 for five-year-olds and while Brayden Star will have to do it the hard way, Busuttin said he should be in the finish if he is a contender for that race.
"This is run at Rosehill over 1800m, exactly the same conditions as the Five Diamond so I thought it was a good opportunity to get up there and have a test run,'' Busuttin said.
"He's carrying his fair share of weight and he's drawn badly so he'll have to go back which is not ideal.
"He'll be giving them a start but we're heading up there expecting him to run well.
"It's a long way off (a Five Diamonds) when we're talking about a benchmark 80 horse but if we are talking about those sorts of races he has to be going up there and winning."
Brayden Star, $4 with TAB on Thursday, has won two of his five starts since arriving from the UK and was runner-up at Flemington two weeks ago over a mile.
"He's done nothing wrong since he's been in the stable,'' he said.
"He was beaten on his merits last start by Unusual Culture which I would suggest is a handy horse."
Pascero caused something of an upset as a $31 chance when he won the final race at Randwick three weeks ago and Busuttin sees no reason why he should be overlooked in the Furphy Handicap (1500m).
But overlooked he's been, at least to a lesser degree, by the market.
The gelding has remained in Sydney at Bjorn Baker's stable since that win and Busuttin said he should repeat the effort.
"It's always easy to say afterwards but we sent him up there expecting him to run well,'' he said.
"At his first start he was a good thing beaten, he ran second at his second start and then third run he had no luck whatsoever.
"While his form lines read pretty ordinary we knew the horse was going well and he raced accordingly. He galloped up very well on Tuesday, they were very happy with him, and we expect him to hold his form."
Busuttin has a healthy respect for Kibou, who is a short-priced favourite, but said the horse should have won more than four of his 15 starts. Danny Beasley rides again on Saturday.
"His racing pattern means he's always going to run into bad luck more often than not or not get conditions to suit,'' he said.
"Obviously the horse of Gai's will be hard to beat but concentrating on our horse there's no reason why he won't run well again."
Mostly Cloudy is another UK import and Busuttin describes him as a "dead set stayer" but says he's on the way up after two Australian starts.
He was placed at Mornington on June 12 and has 1.5kg off his back with Zac Lloyd riding.
"He will want every bit of 2400m and more,'' he said.
"It's a good field but we have a good young jockey on and a good barrier draw so hopefully he can get a good run in the race and be hitting the line strong."
