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New Zealand Racing News
Monday, February 20 2017

Rising Red can earn himself a trip across the Tasman with a bold showing in Melbourne on Wednesday.

Rising Red (far left) finishing runner-up to Farson (centre) at Moonee Valley  - Darryl Sherer

The New Zealand-bred son of Redwood will be on trial for a tilt at the Gr.1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby when he steps out in a Benchmark 70 event over 2100 metres at Sandown.

Rising Red, who races in the same colours as the top mare Rising Romance, has a win and five placings from his seven starts for Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, who transferred their training operation from Cambridge to Cranbourne last year.

"He's probably under the odds a bit at $2.50, because he's up against some tough older horses, but we are definitely looking at the New Zealand Derby and if he goes a good race and finishes in the top four, he will probably go over," Busuttin said.

"He's not a superstar, but he will run 2400m. A wet track wouldn't worry him and it's a million-dollar race. He's an improving horse and I could see him running in the top five at Ellerslie.

"We also nominated him for the Autumn Classic at Caulfield on Saturday, which is a $A200,000 three-year-old race over 1800m, but the Sandown race works better as a Derby lead-up. The timing and the distance suit better.

"You have to take advantage of the good money for the three-year-olds when you can. There's no such thing as a bad Derby field and the Ellerslie field looks to be an even line-up," Busuttin said.

"You couldn't knock Sacred Elixir, though there must be a question mark as to whether he is at his best. Savile Row looks a good horse and Donna Logan and Murray Baker know how to win a Derby."

A maiden winner in the spring, Rising Red was having his first run for seven weeks when he finished a luckless second over 1600m at Moonee Valley on February 10.

"He got held up and should have won," Busuttin said

Posted by: AT 01:54 am   |  Permalink   |  Email
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