If Bustling can secure victory in the Subzero Handicap at Flemington on Thursday, it will mark the end of a 915-day winless drought.
For co-trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, achieving his best form again would feel as protracted as that period, though it’s not quite three years.
Bustling’s last win was in the Group 3 WA Sires’ Produce Stakes over 1400 metres at Ascot in Perth in May 2024. Despite finishing second when the favourite last start, a race exclusively for grey horses offers him an added boost of confidence for the now five-year-old.
“We had numerous soundness issues with him at the time of purchase,” Kent Jnr recalled about acquiring the gelding three months after his last victory.
“However, for the past eight months, he has been completely sound. I thought he showed good development last preparation.”
Bustling returned this preparation with a tenth-place finish first-up at Cranbourne in the Apache Cat Classic (1200m), starting at $2.35. The winner, Ndola, went on to win the Group 3 Rising Fast Stakes (1200m) last Saturday at Flemington.
Ethan Brown was the jockey for that initial outing.
“Following two trial wins, we expected him to perform much better at Cranbourne,” Kent Jnr said.
“Ethan’s feedback was to put a line through that run. He’s a very astute judge who doesn’t hold back his opinions.
“When they applied the brakes mid-race, it created a very difficult situation for him, and he suggested we try him on a large track like Flemington.”
A significant positive is that Bustling will be racing over the seven-furlong trip, the same distance as his last win.
“The greys race seems like an obvious target where we can drop him in grade and hopefully regain his confidence. If he brings his trial and track work form to race day, he should run very well. His work on Saturday morning was the best of the session; he looked fantastic. The only concern is if we get too much rain leading up to the event.”
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