Derby colt lands back-up Flemington win

Anaheim has scored a consolation win for connections at Flemington after missing a start in the Victoria Derby.

The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained three-year-old was second emergency in last Saturday’s Classic so the pair turned their attention to the Listed TCL QUHD TV Stakes at Flemington on Thursday.

Ridden by Ben Melham, Anaheim ($9) scored by a length from Righteous Mate ($7.50) with Rockstar Rebel ($5) 1-1/4 lengths away third.

Victory by Anaheim provided the New Zealand training partners their first city success after making the shift across the Tasman and setting up at Cranbourne in August.

Young said Anaheim would now be given a month spell before starting a Derby campaign next year.

“There’s still four more Derbies,” Young said.

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“I think he’s better on top of the ground and Sydney in the autumn can be quite wet so I think he’s a horse that will be better suited in South Australia and then on to the Queensland Derby.”

Young said Anaheim was not a typical Fastnet Rock colt that is big and bulky and is more of an athletic type being out of a Zabeel mare.

She said giving the colt a break now would give the horse a chance to mature, even though he was going out in winning form.

“We always thought he was still another six months away,” Young said.

“All the jockey comments were that he wasn’t quite there but with each run he’d flourish.

“He’d come home and eat up so we’ thought we’d give him one more run until he’d told us otherwise.

“It’s paid off today and we’ve got a nice win out of him.”