Trent Busuttin will be happy to see another rain-affected track on Saturday for Tavago
Australian Derby winner Tavago returned to winning form at his most recent start and will get conditions to suit when he chases a second career Group One win in the BMW at Rosehill.
Tavago powered to a 3-1/4 length win in last year’s Australian Derby, defeating subsequent Caulfield Cup winner Jameka, on a soft track at Randwick.
A virus curtailed his spring campaign when he was well beaten in two starts but the four-year-old showed he was back to his old self with a second-up win in the Group Three Sky High Stakes (2000m) on March 11 at Rosehill.
That victory also came on a soft-rated track while Saturday’s Golden Slipper meeting at Rosehill was conducted on a heavy (10).
Co-trainer Trent Busuttin will be happy to see another rain-affected track on Saturday for Tavago.
“It’s something we don’t have to worry about,” Busuttin, who trains in partnership with Natalie Young, said.
“He enjoys a wet track so we’re certainly going to get that on Saturday.
“He’ll get conditions to suit and I think he’ll be very hard to beat.
“They’ve got to be right on their game to be winning or competitive in these sorts of races, and he is.
“He’s absolutely flying.”
The $1.5 million BMW (2400m) has attracted 14 nominations including Jameka, Australian Cup winner Humidor and Saturday’s Ranvet Stakes winner Our Ivanhowe who showed his liking for wet ground.
Two three-year-olds , the Victoria Derby winner Prized Icon and VRC Oaks winner Lasqueti Spirit are among the entries for the weight-for-age race.
Jameka, who fought on gamely for second in the Australian Cup (2000m) last start, is the $4.20 favourite in first markets to turn the tables on the Darren Weir-trained Humidor ($4.60).
Our Ivanhowe and Tavago are both at $5 with Sportsbet.com.au while Our Ivanhowe’s stablemate Exospheric, who was third in the Australian Cup, is at $7.
