3 minute read

Tougher task for debut maiden winner but trainer hopeful of strong showing towards Derbies.

Picking a promising horse isn't usually child's play but in the instance of Derby hopeful Immediacy , his purchase came about from just that.

It was 12-year-old Ben, son of co-trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, who pointed out this son of 2015 Group 1 Victoria Derby winner Tarzino out of the catalogue of the 2022 Ready To Run Sale in New Zealand.

"Funnily enough, we managed to buy him," Young said.

Three-year-old Immediacy won on debut over 1500-metres at Cranbourne on December 29, and now rises to 1800-metres in midweek company against older horses in the Thoroughbred Club Australia Handicap at Sandown on Wednesday.

Stringing two wins together, especially when stepping up in grade after winning a maiden race, is often a tough task and the training partnership has that frame of mind.

While the gelding is nearing what they believe will be his prime distances of 2000-metres and beyond, he is hoping Immediacy can acquit himself well enough for a Derby – be it in Sydney, Adelaide or Brisbane – to edge closer as a realistic aim.

"It is always extremely tough to go through and win from a maiden to a benchmark 64," Busuttin said.

"They're rarely superstars in those races but they are seasoned older horses that have had ten or twelve starts and have been around and know what they're doing.

"If this horse comes out and wins, I'd suggest he's a very, very good horse but realistically he might get a bit lost again especially stepping out against more experienced horses.

"But if he can hit the line and run top five or six, I'll be happy."

Immediacy was a NZ$200,000 purchase at the 2022 Ready To Run Sale with the ownership including John O'Neill and Ozzie Kheir.

"Once he gets over 2000-metres plus and against his own age in the autumn, he can run well in some bigger three-year-old races.

"For now it is all about teaching him how to race as he did everything wrong for all bar 200-metres at Cranbourne and ultimately he will race in blinkers."

Applying blinkers will be a future task with the Cranbourne-based co-trainers thinking that introducing them at his second start may be too soon.

"You don't want to get carried away on the back of a maiden but he's the right credentialed horse for those longer races, and he obviously possesses some talent," Busuttin added.

"But we won't be going to those races without him knowing how to race."

As for Ben, Natalie may just have a direction for him already in mind.

"He's one for one so we might have to put him on the payroll as our new bloodstock agent," she said.

Immediacy is rated a $6.50 chance for Wednesday's event with Aiming, who is looking for a third win in eight starts, the $3.70 favourite.