The Tour d’Horse Sprint this Saturday at Caulfield isn’t the main event Bustling was acquired for, yet Mick Price along with co-trainer Michael Kent Jnr are no longer selective about the ex-Western Australian runner.
The $130,000 benchmark 84 over 1000 metres marks the four-year-old’s initial appearance in close to 20 months.
Since fetching a substantial sum, Bustling’s sole outing under Price and Kent came in the Group 2 Run To The Rose during September 2024, where he placed eighth from nine runners, followed by numerous setbacks.
Compared to the ambitions for the son of Frosted, who was snapped up aiming for The Everest, this weekend’s contest is fairly low-key, though Price is simply pleased to have him racing again.
“He had some bone problems and just assorted different niggles,” Price said.
“We keep getting him up, then we keep giving him time, we keep getting him up then we keep giving him time.
“But everyone’s done a good job with him and he’s now as right as we can have him.”
The Run To The Rose represented Bustling’s debut poor finish following five prior efforts that yielded four victories, such as the Group 2 Karrakatta Plate (1200m), Group 3 WA Sires Produce Stakes (1400m), and Listed Perth Stakes (1100m), plus one runner-up spot.
Leading into this comeback, he notched a third in an 800m Cranbourne jumpout on April 6 and claimed victory in an 850m trial on Caulfield’s Heath track on April 23.
Mark Zahra partnered him in those sessions and will ride again on Saturday, with Bustling the early favourite at $4.40.
Victoria’s recent downpours haven’t impressed Price, who noted that Bustling’s prospects would brighten should the Caulfield surface firm up beyond Thursday’s Soft 6 rating.
“He’s a happy horse, he’s big, strong and he’s grown a lot since his two-year-old days,” Price said.
“He is one horse who hates the wet, but he is ready to run well.”
Explore the Australian betting sites for top racing betting markets on the Tour d’Horse Sprint at Caulfield.