Caulfield hosts Lagunanini, the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young charge eyeing a distinctive honour.
Lagunanini hopes to duplicate older brother McGaw with victory in Saturday’s $1 million The Showdown (1200m).
Matching entries off maiden wins for both – Pakenham for McGaw, Sale for Lagunanini – their similarities halt post pedigree.
Picked up by Emma-Lee and David Browne, McGaw cost $14,000; Busuttin and Young forked out $160,000 for Lagunanini.
That premium, exceeding the Brownes’ by over 10 times, looks promising with McGaw’s Group 2 triumph elevating her broodmare appeal.
“He was very athletic and raw whereas she was solid and looked like a real runner,” Young said.
“We loved her the first time we saw her. She’s got a great body on her, and she’s done nothing wrong since coming into the barn.
“We gave her that first prep and then tipped her out and gave her a bit of a long break.
“The penny has dropped this time and she’s handling the pressure.”
Saturday’s Caulfield assignment demands she channels that composure, per Young.
“It will be a big day, different atmosphere, but I think she will handle it, no problem,” Young said.
“We can’t question her professionalism. Beau (Mertens) knows her, he won on her, and she’s usually very sensible at the races and trials beforehand.
“She doesn’t get too worked up, but it is a two-year-old race, and you never know what can happen.”
Rather than a Tuesday Caulfield jog, they finalised at Cranbourne base.
She retains Golden Slipper entry at Rosehill Saturday week, accepts in Magic Night Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill this Saturday, and eyes ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) Randwick April 4, Percy Sykes Stakes (1200m) after.
“We put her in up in Sydney as well, just in case we drew wide, as we just wanted another option, but we’ll head to Caulfield after getting the ace draw,” Young said.
“There’s Stakes races coming up interstate that may suit her, but we’ll get through Saturday first and see where we go.”
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