The Caulfield Guineas has been earmarked for Blue Diamond Stakes winner Tagaloa, with the Cox Plate on the radar later in the spring.
Tagaloa won two of his six starts during his juvenile season, highlighted by his victory in the Group One Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield in February and his runner-up finish in the Todman Stakes followed by his fourth in the Golden Slipper.
Co-trainer Trent Busuttin is looking to give the colt the chance to stretch out to at least a mile (1600m) during the spring in the Caulfield Guineas but will also be guided by the colt’s performances earlier in his campaign.
He said the Group One winner had strengthened during his spell.
“He’s thickened up over the neck and shoulders and we’re very excited,” Busuttin told RSN927.
Busuttin said Tagaloa would likely kick off his preparation in Melbourne in the Group Three McNeil Stakes (1200m) on August 29 at Caulfield for three-year-olds.
He is expected to remain in Victoria with the option to head to Sydney for the Group One Golden Rose (1400m) in late September.
“We’ve got everything earmarked towards the Caulfield Guineas at this stage and if he went that way and came up as good as we hope, I’d love to have a crack at a Cox Plate with him,” Busuttin said.
“He’ll kick off in the McNeil Stakes on the 29th (August) and then go to the Danehill Stakes down the straight at Flemington.
“After that we’ve got the option of either going up to Sydney to the Golden Rose, if you can get up there which I’m sure you’ll be able to by then, or alternatively go to the Guineas Prelude and keep him down here.”
