When Daggers won his first two starts as an early three-year-old the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young stable thought he may be their spring banner galloper.
After those two victories, a third-place finish over 1400m at Flemington was followed by a step up to 1600m in the Group 2 Stutt Stakes at Moonee Valley, a trip Daggers failed to see out, before a freshen ahead of a potential short-course race.
But a virus in the lead-up to the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington put an end to further spring aspirations.
After a break and two jump-outs at Cranbourne, Daggers is set to make his reappearance in the $1 million Inglis Sprint (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday.
“I thought he’d be a headline horse for the stable in the spring, but he got a virus, so we just spelled him straight away,” Young said.
“He’s come back into work, trialled up super. He’s actually had a jump-out up the straight at Flemington before, so he’s got that little advantage.
“When we were heading towards the spring, we took him there for a jump-out and he was OK, but we knew he wasn’t 100 per cent and we spelled him.”
While disappointed Daggers did not get to the Caulfield Guineas or the Coolmore Stud Stakes in the spring, Young is confident the colt can still deliver on the big stage.
Young said Daggers would be kept to races in the 1200m to 1400m range, and while Saturday’s race is restricted to Inglis graduates, it was a nice starting point for the preparation.
“He’s going well, it’s a $1 million race, so why not, and it’s a good stepping stone for his first-up run this prep,” Young said.
“He’s a good 1200 to 1400-metre horse, he’s won over 1200 and 1300 metres.
“It would have been nice if he’d have got to the Guineas but at the end of the day, he is an I Am Invincible, and he’s really only bred to be racing over these shorter distances.
“He’s fresh and ready, an amazing colt to look at, he’s a beast.
“He’s filled out, he has a massive hindquarter on him. He was a little weak over the hips last prep because he hadn’t furnished and I’m sure he’ll give it a shake on Saturday.”
