Budriguez to run in Melbourne not Sydney

Tuesday 26 March 2013, 4:28pm

Budriguez returns to Melbourne on Saturday chasing another feature win, and perhaps some headlines he didn't get last time despite a Group Two success.

Adelaide trainer David Jolly has decided to start Budriguez in the Group Three Victoria Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday instead of the Group Two Ajax Stakes (1500m) in Sydney.

The six-year-old has been in top form during the autumn carnival highlighted by his dead-heat for first in the Group Two Blamey Stakes (1600m) at Flemington last start.

It was a performance met with little fanfare because he couldn't be separated from the horse who confirmed his standing as this year's Melbourne Cup favourite.

"Puissance De Lune copped the accolades last start and I can understand why," Jolly said.

"If we can just keep punching away and doing our job I'll be happy.

"The horse is racing in great heart."

Jolly felt the gelding was better weighted with 59kg in the Victoria Handicap than carrying half a kilogram less in Sydney.

"And I think it's a touch easier race," the trainer said.

"He's going very well at the moment and because he's going that well it's kind of hard to stop.

"He likes Caulfield and 1400 metres to a mile (1600m) is his right trip."

Budriguez has already raced twice at Caulfield this campaign for a victory in the Group Three Carlyon Cup (1600m) and a close third in the Group Two Peter Young Stakes (1800m).

He then went to Flemington where he led all the way in the Blamey Stakes only for Puissance De Lune to flash home late to finish in a dead-heat.

Jolly has freshened Budriguez for Saturday's assignment which could be his last of the season before the trainer looks to a late spring and summer campaign.

The feature races in Perth - the Group One Railway Stakes and Kingston Town Classic - late in the year are realistic options.

Jolly has three horses entered for the Caulfield meeting but only two will make the trip from South Australia.

Avoid Lightning is nominated for a 1000m race but will instead run at Oakbank or be saved for another day.

Lightly-raced Last Day will step up in distance in the 3YO Handicap (1400m) after finishing eighth in a Group Two race against his own age in Adelaide last start over 1200m.

"I think he's very talented but still untapped," Jolly said.

– AAP

Latest News

Prime Thoroughbreds - We have a Host of Leaders in our Team

Tuesday, 29 June 2021

Prime Thor­ough­bred’s cur­rent rac­ing team is putt­ing to­gether quite a re­cord. We have 22 hors­es that have raced in our team at pre­sent. Six­teen of th­ese are win­n­ers in­clud­ing the Stakes win­n­ing trio Ru­bisa­ki, Fituese and Xtreme­time with Miss Di­vine Em and Miss In Charge run­n­ing 4th in Stakes races. This sees a stakes win­n­er to win­n­er ra­tio of 18.75% with a stake’s per­formed to win­n­er ra­tio of 31.25%. Th­ese are ex­cep­tio­n­al fig­ures.   More »

Freedmans land maiden Group One win

Saturday, 27 February 2021

Un­der-rat­ed fil­ly For­bid­den Love has emerged as an au­tumn car­ni­val smokey with a bril­liant per­for­mance to win the Sur­round Stakes at Rand­wick.  More »

Capriccio completes Damian Lane treble

Saturday, 27 February 2021

In a big day for coun­try-trained hors­es, War­r­nam­bool fil­ly Capric­cio has tak­en out the In­glis Dash for Daniel Bow­man.  More »

More news headlines »