The lure of a future as a stallion against money offered in a sales-restricted race has contributed to Tagaloa contesting the Blue Diamond Prelude at Caulfield.
Connections had to weigh up a start in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic at the Gold Coast last month, or chase victory in the Group One Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield on February 22.
The latter won out, with Tagaloa set to take a step towards that race in Saturday’s colts and geldings Prelude at Caulfield.
Tagaloa’s waywardness worked against him when he ran third on debut in the Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington on November 7 before he scored a solid win at The Valley later that month.
Natalie Young, who trains in partnership with Trent Busuttin, said missing the Magic Millions allowed Tagaloa to have a break before his autumn campaign.
“Being by Lord Kanaloa we thought it would be better going to the stallion-making race,” Young said.
“And sometimes things can go wrong with travel to the Magic Millions so we also had that in the back of our minds.
“It allowed us to give him a break for a couple of weeks after The Valley race and it allowed him to really fill out and he came back in looking double the horse to when he went out.”
Young said Tagaloa won a jump-out at Cranbourne on January 28 against three-year-olds.
Young is not underestimating the task facing Tagaloa against the likes of Hanseatic, Rulership and Hard Landing, but says she would not be swapping him for any other horse.
“I’m rather attached to Tagaloa,” she said.
“I can’t walk past his box in the morning without going in and having big cuddles.”
The stable will start Letzbeglam in the fillies division after deciding to bypass last week’s Chairman’s Stakes at Caulfield.
Young said they were worried about tackling the “boys” on a wet track.
She said Letzbeglam worked with Tagaloa on Tuesday morning, finishing on terms, describing it solid work.
“I was quite impressed with her,” Young said.
“She worked to the line strongly and I thought keeping up with Tagaloa, she’s got some gears there.
“She didn’t beat much at Werribee but she won nicely and although there’s a few nice fillies, I think she can be competitive.”
