Buster Bash to back up at Moonee Valley
Despite his defeat, David Harrison is keeping the faith with Buster Bash, drawing encouragement from champion jockey, Jamie Kah.
Jamie Kah rode Buster Bash in last Saturday’s G2 Heatherlie Stakes (1700m) at Caulfield, but the gelding failed to flatter in his interstate debut.
Buster Bash led and turned for home in front, but faded to 12th behind Soulcombe who flashed home to record an impressive victory.
Harrison conceded he felt flat after the event, but following a positive post-race assessment from Kah his mood changed quickly.
Harrison said his 2023 Perth Cup (2400m) hero will back up and look to go around in a benchmark race at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
With Kah’s support and back to his preferred distance range, David Harrison is optimistic Buster Bash can keep his Melbourne spring hopes alive.
“I thought is was disappointing on face value,” Harrison told The Races WA.
“But Jamie came back and said she was happy with it.
“She said the horse was in a happy place and is going super.
“I had to ask her if she was sure, but she said don’t be disappointed.
“He just needs a drop in company and a bit further.
“The run was obviously too sharp for him.
“In better company over a mile he is not a great horse, but he’s a good stayer.
“He’s not brilliant enough to win over a mile or 1700m.
“He got badly beaten in the Railway (1600m) and then came out to win the Towton Cup (2200m) and Perth Cup (2400m).
“I’m going to push on and hopefully the distance is what he needs.”
Stable mate Gemma’s Son will step out for his Melbourne debut in a 1200m handicap at Moonee Valley.
The six-year-old departed Perth a winner when he defeated Ghost Who Walks over 1000m at Belmont in July.
A three-time Listed winner, Gemma’s Son races well fresh with two wins, a second and a third from five first up attempts.
More Racing News
Dan Morton keeps faith with 2024 Railway Stakes mare
Trainer Dan Morton has shrugged aside Super Smink’s horror barrier draw and still thinks she can win the Group 1 Swan Draught-Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot on Saturday. A layer of complexity was added to Super Smink’s Railway Stakes bid after she was handed barrier 18, but Dan Morton is keeping the...
Timing right for Port Lockroy in G1 Railway Stakes bid
He’s one of five interstate raiders and the outsider of the quintet, but co-trainer, Rob Archibald believes there is a sense of timing about Port Lockroy in Saturday’s Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot. Rob Archibald, who shares training duties with Annabel Neasham, says Port Lockroy put himself into Railway Stakes...
Royal task for Gilded Water at local debut
A benchmark race on The Gong undercard will add some Royal flavour to the stand-alone Kembla Grange meeting when a horse owned by His Majesty King Charles III makes his local debut. Four-year-old Gilded Water has been sent to Australia to continue his racing career, having started just four times in the...
Jason Collett hoping to find Express lane in The Gong
Jason Collett is resigned to the fact that he will be more reliant on luck than good management as he tries to coax another win out of Territory Express in the $1 million The Gong at Kembla Grange. The Provincial-Midway Championships Final victor in the autumn, Territory Express has a get-back racing pattern...
Improving trio to fly flag for Godolphin at Kembla Grange
Godolphin doesn’t have a representative in The Gong, but James Cummings is content to rely on a trio of up-and-coming sprinters to carry the stable’s hopes at the stand-alone Kembla Grange meeting. Fleetwood will headline the leading yard’s squad when he resumes in the Group 3 The Warra (1000m), while Pisanello and Restonica contest benchmark...
Mark Walker aims for ‘new’ hometown Cranbourne Cup
Trainer Mark Walker has a good record when in form New Zealand gallopers land in Australia. Walker’s latest ‘import’ is It’s A Wild Night who will have his first Australian outing in the Listed Cranbourne Cup (1600m) on Saturday. It’s A Wild Night arrived at Walker’s Cranbourne base just over a week ago...
Railway Stakes 2024 timing perfect for Baker’s Bel
In-form mare Belclare will need to overcome a wide alley to land her first Australian Group One win in the Railway Stakes at Ascot, and connections believe Nash Rawiller is the perfect man for the job. A two-time victor at the highest level in New Zealand, Belclare joined the Sydney stable of Bjorn...
Trainer Gavin Bedggood chasing Fortune in The Meteorite
Gavin Bedggood hopes the decision to take Oscar’s Fortune to Cranbourne for a midweek gallop will pay off handsomely on Saturday. Oscar’s Fortune runs in the $1 million The Meteorite (1200m), a new ‘slot race’ that Southside Racing, a merged entity of the Cranbourne and Pakenham Clubs, runs for the first time. The former...
John Stewart eyes Melbourne with 2024 Japan Cup fancy
Goliath faces one of the toughest tasks in racing this weekend, beating the Japanese at home in their biggest race, but John Stewart is already planning his next moves with his star recruit and Australia is on the itinerary. The ambitious American has quickly become a powerful investor in Australian racing and...
Hedged poised to give The Warra rivals a trim-up
The Magic Millions carnival is the campaign focal point for promising sprinter Hedged, but trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr are hoping he can knock off a feature race along the way. The gelding will resume in the Group 3 The Warra (1000m) at Kembla Grange on Saturday, his first start...
