Stylish Black-Type Return for Blind Raise (NZ)

Karaka 2025 graduate Blind Raise (NZ) (Ace High) was a stakes winner as a two-year-old and has immediately done the same thing at three, with Saturday’s A$175,000 Listed McMahon’s Dairy McKenzie Stakes (1300m) at Sandown putting him on a Group One path this spring.

Blind Raise was bred by The Oaks Stud, who offered him in Book 1 of Karaka 2025. He was bought by trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young for $70,000. He has now had four starts for three wins and A$258,725 in stakes.

Blind Raise won two of his three starts as a two-year-old including the Listed ANZAC Day Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on April 25.

Busuttin and Young have set their sights on races like the Group One Caulfield Guineas (1600m) and Group One Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) over the next couple of months, and the first-up performance that Blind Raise showed them on Saturday did nothing to change their plans.

Blind Raise was ridden by Blake Shinn and settled just behind the pace before rounding up the leaders in the home straight. He took command and drew away stylishly over the last 150 metres to win by a length and three quarters.

“I learned from his jumpout leading into this that he’s a very good horse,” Shinn said. “He’s a lovely, big, scopey horse by Ace High, and he’s got a beautiful action on him and is quite light on his feet.

“We came here pretty confident, and it’s just nice to see him deliver.

“It’s great for the stable. Trent and Natalie are really great judges of horses, and he's only had the one jumpout leading into today, so I think there's improvement to come and it's exciting for everyone involved.

“I didn't want to go to the fence. I sort of got forced down there, and then I just had to work my way out, because the track's probably better down the middle now. Once he was out, he had the race won and in his keeping from the 400 metres.”

Busuttin admitted that he almost scratched Blind Raise due to concerns around the weather and track conditions.

“We don’t live far from here, and it was pouring down,” he said. “It was touch and go and I sent out a late voice message saying we would probably scratch.

“He’d had only the one trial since his last race in Brisbane, so this race will bring him on. It was pretty comfortable in the end, so we’re happy.

“His next start will be either the Guineas Prelude (Group Three, 1400m, September 19) or the Stutt Stakes (Group Two, 1600m, September 27). Just with him being a bit fresh and keen, I think a two-week turnaround will do him the world of good.”

Vendor	The Oaks Stud
Purchaser	Busuttin Young Racing (Victoria)
Breeding	Ace High – Away Cruising
Sale	Lot 467, Karaka 2025 Book 1, $70,000
Breeder	The Oaks Stud
Owner	Busuttin Racing, Mr A P Grant, Mr P M McDonnell, Mr B W Tonks, Mr S M Stanton, Mr J Campbell, Mr A Tassone, Mr M J Bradley, Mr L A C Fenwick, Mrs S Fenwick, Mr D R Fenwick, Mr B Fitz-Gibbon, Mr B Speedy, Mr T Dubbelde, Mr A R Marshall, Mr X Grant, Mr K J Ransfield, Mr K R Rutherford