Sangster Sounds Warning to Cup Rivals

Last season’s Group 1 VRC Derby winner Sangster (NZ) made a stunning return to form and has taken NZB’s Ready to Run Sale’s Group 1 count to 11 in the last five seasons with victory in Saturday’s $200,000 Group 1 Darci Brahma International Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa.

Trained by Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young, Sangster’s (Savabeel x Quinta Special) return to form is timely with the Auckland Cup just under four weeks away and the four-year-old sounded a warning to his rivals as he will drop from Saturday’s 59 kilogram weight to just 54.5kgs in the Cup. 

Sangster won last season’s Group 1 VRC Derby and now is heading to the Auckland Cup

Ridden by jockey Opie Bosson, Sangster had a tough run in transit, posted wide early in the race before being taken to the front. In the straight he was in a class of his own and raced clear of some smart opposition to win by two-and-three-quarter lengths with Dolmabache (Redoute’s Choice) and Asavant (Zabeel) running into the placings.

“It was a great run as he had it tough right throughout the race,” commented Busuttin. “He’s a bit of an unlucky horse really; I don’t think he has ever seen the rail in his whole career but he’s tough and for me, it was great to see him use that turn-of-foot again on Saturday.

“His work had been top class coming into the race. Our only concern was the track and that it would be too hard as he struggles to let down on a hard surface but to the Track Manager’s credit he had it spot on.”

The win was Sangster’s first in over 16 months since he won the Group 1 VRC Derby in Australia and he was given a long spell after running below his best as an autumn three-year-old in Australia.

“I was never in any doubt that he would come back,” said Busuttin. “A lot of people don’t realise just how difficult it is to have a horse always racing at the top level, everything has to be in your favour and in the Australian autumn it simply wasn’t in ours.

“We gave him a good five month spell as a sound horse to let him grow and mature and he has come back in wonderful order. The Auckland Cup is his goal and we have been trying to win that race for five or six years now so that is our focus.

“He has come through the race in excellent order so we will look to back him up in this Sunday’s Avondale Gold Cup at Ellerslie. He needs a 2400 metre race before the cup and should he win he won’t get re-handicapped which has always been the plan.”

Sangster was bred by Emblem Ltd and was offered by Windsor Park Stud at New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2010 Karaka Select Sale before being taken to NZB’s Ready to Run Sale of Two-Year-Olds where he was purchased by Trent Busuttin for $22,000.

Raced by Martin Bradley, Tom Heptinstall, Kevin O'Brien, M Fenwick, K Greenlees, D Kneebone and L & T Stewart, Sangster’s record now stands at 17 starts for four wins – two at Group 1 level – for over $1.4 million in stakes.