Craig Kerry
The prospect of a better surface at Randwick will lead one-time Everest slot-holder Bustling back to Sydney on Saturday for the first time since his career was put on hold 21 months ago.
The Mick Price and Michael Kent jnr-trained four-year-old was on the truck north on Wednesday night after the stable opted for the 1200m benchmark 94 handicap over a run on likely rain-affected ground at Flemington.
Sure footing is front of mind for connections after the former West Australian’s long battle with hoof problems.
After winning four of his five starts as a two-year-old in WA, Bustling was bought for a figure reportedly close to $2 million, then transferred to the Price and Kent jnr stable and set to fill the 2024 Everest slot of Max Whitby, Colin Madden and Neil Werrett. That campaign, though, ended after he finished eighth in the Golden Rose at Rosehill a month out from the Everest.
After 84 weeks out, Bustling returned in trials in April, then finished third and second in two wet-track runs at Caulfield, a length and a half away in a benchmark 84 (1000m) and the listed Bel Esprit Stakes (1100m).
Price and Kent’s Sydney foreman, Ben Elam, said Bustling had two nice pieces of work going the reverse way at Cranbourne in preparation for the Randwick assignment and he expected the comeback galloper to appreciate a firmer surface. Tommy Berry will ride Bustling, a $4 TAB chance on Thursday from gate 12.
“Third up, he is going to be much fitter now and ready to rock and roll, so hopefully we see a really good showing from him,” Elam said.
Just getting Bustling back to the races has been a win in itself for the stable.
“When you pay big money for these horses, it’s very easy for the public to sit back and say what a disaster this is,” Elam said.
“But nobody really knows what goes on behind the scenes other than the ownership group who have got to foot the bill, and the trainers and their team who have got to face the music for not getting the horse to the races.
“But they are not robots and sometimes they have issues, but we’re just glad we’ve got him back and the ownership group are excited to have him back on track.
“He was racing as a two-year-old, early three-year-old, so he’s still learning the whole racing craft and becoming the furnished product, so hopefully he only improves.
“He’s a very difficult horse; he’s had a power of work, an army of people and it’s a credit to all of them to get him to where he is now. It has not been easy.
“They were minor [injury] issues, but they stuck around for a very long time. We were changing angles every time we were shoeing him, just trying to get him to the most comfortable position. It becomes very delicate when you are dealing with a horse who hasn’t got the best conformation.
“He’s sound as a pound now, and he doesn’t lack ability. You’ve only got to look at his ratings from his runs in WA and his two runs back at Caulfield – they have been very good.”
The stable also hopes to run import Boniface ($7) in race six, an 1800m benchmark 88, at Randwick, where the French gelding needs three more scratchings. He was fifth in his Australian debut at Sandown and has gate one.
“We can use it a bit from the barrier,” Elam said. “He went very good first up, so looking forward to getting him up here.”