Wait and see on Flemington for Rising Red

Co-trainer Trent Busuttin will delay a decision whether Rising Red runs in the Bart Cummings.

Rising Red’s co-trainer Trent Busuttin is favouring bypassing a direct passage into the Melbourne Cup for a race the following week at Caulfield.

The stayer is nominated for The Bart Cummings (2500m) and Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday with Busuttin, who trains in partnership with Natalie Young, saying the more likely option is to wait for the Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) at Caulfield.

Victory in The Bart Cummings gives the winner a ballot exemption into the Melbourne Cup while a Caulfield Cup start is available to the winner of the Herbert Power.

If Rising Red, currently 54th in the ballot order, was to win the Caulfield Cup he would gain a Melbourne Cup start.

“I’ll see what the acceptances are like but more than likely we’ll be waiting for the Herbert Power,” Busuttin said.

“You don’t like to be scared of one horse, but the Godolphin horse (Avilius) looks extremely hard to beat and I can’t see the Herbert Power being any stronger than what Saturday’s race will be.

“If he won the Bart Cummings I don’t think he’d get enough of a penalty to get into the Caulfield Cup anyway.”

Rising Red has had two starts following an early winter campaign in Brisbane, finishing second at Moonee Valley before running second in the Naturalism Stakes at Caulfield on September 22.

Success in that race would have given Rising Red exemption into the Caulfield Cup.

“The Melbourne Cup’s the dream but if he got into either race he’d be an outside chance,” Busuttin said.

“I feel the Caulfield Cup is a more winnable race for a horse like him than racing against all the internationals that are getting off the plane for the Melbourne Cup.

“Obviously we’d love to run the horse and I’m not saying he could win the Melbourne Cup, but I’d say he’d sit up on the pace, run the two miles, give a kick and run in the top 10 anyway.”