Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young hope to have Uncle Bryn back on track for a tilt at the Queensland Carnival after a virus forced the galloper to miss the Australian Cup.
Uncle Bryn did not perform up to expectation when sixth behind Nonconformist in the Group 2 Blamey Stakes (1600m) on March 4 which forced the stable to go searching for answers.
Busuttin said Uncle Bryn came out of the Blamey Stakes very flat, as did Muramasa after finishing 13th in the Group 1 Australian Guineas on the same day.
“We had a bit of a bug go through the stable and it hit him, and it hit Muramasa,” Busuttin said.
“They raced below par on Guineas Day, and they pulled up ordinary.
“They were meant to be running in the Rosehill Guineas and the Australian Cup, but we’ve had to change plans with them.”
Busuttin said depending on how the pair handle trackwork in the next 10 days, they could both be seen in action at Sandown on April 8.
The Group 3 Victoria Handicap (1400m) could be on the agenda for Uncle Bryn while there is a 1600m three-year-old race that may suit Muramasa.
“There’s a Group 3 1400m race on April 8 for Uncle Bryn and if he performs well then we’ll look to take him up to Queensland,” Busuttin said.
“There’s a three-year-old mile on the same day for Muramasa and then potentially he could go to a 2000-metre race on Anzac Day at Flemington and then possibly onto the (Group 1) South Australian Derby (2500m) at Morphettville.
“But that is all dependent on how they do in the next week.”
Busuttin said he hopes the fortunes of the stable have turned around following the win of Simeon at Sandown last Wednesday.
“We’ve had limited runners and the ones that have been, have been running no good,” Busuttin said.
“You’ve got to push through it and hopefully after the win of Simeon it turns around.”
