Trent Busuttin concedes the New Zealand Derby winner Willydoit is superior to his three-year-old Thedoctoroflove (So You Think), but the trainer is not backing away from a potential return bout in the Gr.1 ATC Derby in Sydney next month.
“You can’t worry about one horse,” Busuttin said on Monday. “Things can go wrong, and they are all there to be beaten.
“The other horse is a better horse than ours, but you can’t muck around with your horses’ campaign because of one horse, so he’ll be there doing his best in Sydney.”
Thedoctoroflove came off his Gr.2 Avondale Guineas victory to run a 2.3-length second to Willydoit in last Saturday’s Gr.1 New Zealand Derby.
Busuttin, who trains in partnership at Cranbourne with Natalie Young, said he was pleased with his horse but was left thoroughly impressed with Willydoit, who will be trained in Australia for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups next spring by Ciaron Maher.
A decision is pending on whether he comes to Sydney for the Derby or is spelled with the spring in mind.
“We got beaten by a superior horse, simple as that,” Busuttin said.
“He had a tough run, the winner, and he was there to be beaten at the top of the straight with the run he had, but he was just too good.
“Our horse had a faultless prep and was given a beautiful ride by Daniel Moor, but he wasn’t good enough.
“All credit to the trainers (Shaun and Emma) the Clotworthys as it looked like it (campaign) was going pear-shaped for Willydoit in the lead-up run (when tenth in the Avondale Guineas) and it’s so hard to turn them around. It was a good training effort.”
Thedoctoroflove might not be the only ATC Derby contender for the stable at Randwick on April 5, and Busuttin said the stable was trying to get both Emphasize (NZ) (Embellish) and Confetti Garden (Saxon Warrior) to the Gr.1 classic.
“They are both getting there in terms of their form and they will have their lead-up races in the Rosehill Guineas or Alister Clark Stakes,” Busuttin said.
“It went pear-shaped for Emphasize last start (in the G2 Autumn Classic). He jumped out, got over-racing and got hold of the rider and ran himself into the ground (before finishing fourth).
“He’ll be nominated for both races as he can turn around things.
“Confetti Garden, who ran second in the Autumn Classic, he’s done nothing wrong and he’s on an upwards trajectory.
“He’ll most likely go to Rosehill. He’d like a wet track.”
