| Tagaloa emerged as one of the world’s most valuable stallion prospects with a brilliant win in today’s $1.5 million Group One Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield. |
Despite being caught wide and without cover throughout, Tagaloa proved too tough, holding out the warm favourite Hanseatic who benefited from an inside run with cover. Co-trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young beamed in the winner’s stalls with connections, including 18 owners, so proud of their incredibly valuable young colt. “I can’t believe it,” Young said moments after the race. “I’m a bit of an emotional wreck to be honest!” “This was the target for this horse and to win a Group One here now training in Australia and to win it with a two-year-old is just unbelievable,” she added. The stable took a shine to Tagaloa in January last year when he was presented for sale at the Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Always showing promise, he was labelled a Blue Diamond prospect late last year. “He did it the tough way,” a proud Trent Busuttin said. “Three wide again – he really toughed it out – the favourite was going to go past him but he poked his head out.” “We knew there was plenty of improvement in him from first up to second up. It’s very exciting – a big pay day!” “It’s a flagship race,” Busuttin added. “There’s a fantastic group of people behind us – not only in this horse but right through the stable.” After winning at Moonee Valley in December connections had to decide whether to stick to the Blue Diamond Stakes or head north to the Magic Millions 2YO Classic. Today their decision was justified. “Nat and Trent had this horse spot on,” winning rider Michael Walker said. “I liked him on Saturday – he worked brilliant and I couldn’t have been happier.” “He’s a top class colt and he’s only going to get better with age,” Walker added. Offered as the first lot on Day Two of the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Tagaloa was bred by Arrowfield Stud in partnership with Katsumi Yoshida’s Jungle Pocket Pty Ltd and sold through the Arrowfield draft for $300,000. Tagaloa, the first named foal for his dam, is a son of King Kamehameha’s Yasuda Kinen winning son Lord Kanaloa – the sire of champion galloper Almond Eye. His dam, a winner over 1800 metres, is a daughter of English group winner and Irish One Thousand Guineas runner up Penkenna Princess. Meanwhile, Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic winner Farnan burst into contention for the Golden Slipper with a smashing win in the Group Two Silver Slipper Stakes at Rosehill today. The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained son of Not a Single Doubt couldn’t have been more impressive as he cruised home to win by almost three and a half lengths. The winner, and runner-up Global Quest, were both purchased from the same Gold Coast Yearling Sale where Tagaloa graduated. It’s also the same sale as Away Game, the Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner, who ran a brave fourth in today’s Blue Diamond Stakes after being trapped at least four deep throughout. Winner: Tagaloa Breeding: Lord Kanaloa-Vasilissa (Heart’s Cry) Race: MRC Blue Diamond Stakes G1 (1200m) Sold for: $300,000 Sale: 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale Vendor: Arrowfield Stud Buyer: Busuttin Racing Earnings: $1,010,750 Owner(s): A Kheir, A Latassa, DP Juratowitch, Mrs SH Juratowitch, JCL See, Mrs NK Stuart, JR Clancy, CE Gilder, SA Lewin, TM Scales, Mrs RT Secatore, BA Secatore, Dr A Terluk, TE Woodman, SL Curran, G Ohehir, JA O’Neill & V Kheir Trainer(s): Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young (Cranbourne) |
