Sunsource, a colt by Zoustar who fetched $370,000 at last year’s yearling sales has already tasted some form of Magic Millions success, but trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young are hoping other factors can spark enough improvement to be competitive in Saturday’s Magic Millions 2yo Classic.
An exciting winner at Ballarat on soft ground, he was sent around $2.45 second pick behind Sovereign Fund at Doomben last start but only battled, finishing third of four but the combination of a soft draw (2), blinkers on and predicted rain have co-trainer Natalie Young confident he can improve.
“He’s been a little bit slow away in his last two starts but we’re going to add the blinkers and so if he does jump nicely, he’ll be in a nice position just behind the speed which is where you want to be in a high-pressure race like that,” Young said.
Young concedes Sunsource will need to improve to beat the likes of Sovereign Fund, who he finished some four lengths adrift of, but is happy with the horse’s condition and the prediction of rain on Friday is a welcome one.
“They were soft conditions (at Ballarat), and it was the first time on a hard track at Doomben last start and they did go a slow tempo so it was a little bit hard for him to get over the top of them but he did run through the line nicely,” Young said.
Top jockey Mark Zahra will take the ride with James Mcdonald committing to race favourite Empire Of Japan and Young believes she has the horse spot on.
“He’s done really well, his gallop (Tuesday) morning was really good, he had no blow so his fitness levels are really good, I was a little bit worried he might have done too well but getting here Thursday I thought that run has really stripped him fit… he should be going into Saturday in top shape.”
The stable’s other runner at the Gold Coast will be Cusack in the Magic Millions 3yo Guineas, and while Young concedes his form isn’t quite up to it, the trip is sure to be a profitable one, with up to $250,000 on offer for horses with an entirely female ownership group.
“There’s only two in it for the ladies’ bonus…just for going around he’s going to collect $86,000 and it’s just worth being here to get that bonus. His work (Tuesday) morning with Sunsource was actually very good so he might be a rough place chance,” Young said.
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