Racing: Caulfield Cup hopeful eyes detour

Tavago may race in Sydney this weekend. Photo / Darryl Sherer

Tavago's Caulfield Cup preparation may take in a detour to Sydney this week.

"He's coming up really well and it's 50-50 at this stage whether we shoot him up there for the Hill Stakes or if we wait for the Underwood," said Trent Busuttin, who prepares the son of Tavistock with his partner Natalie Young.

The group two Hill Stakes is a 2000 metre weight-for-age contest at Randwick while the group one Underwood Stakes is at Caulfield a week later over 1800 metres.

"We'll just have a think about it over the next couple of days, but whatever happens he'll be third-up into the Caulfield Cup," Busuttin said.

Tavago made his first appearance since winning the Australian Derby in the autumn when he was unplaced in the group two Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Moonee Valley earlier this month.

"It was a fair run and he was ridden a bit upside down - he was a bit close to the pace, but he came through it well," Busuttin said.

The former Cambridge-based trainers have made an immediate impact from their new Cranbourne base with five winners.

"We've kicked off with a nice run and now we'd like to get a few city winners and any carnival successes would be great," Busuttin said. "We're really pleased with the way things are going."

High future hopes are held for two promising three-year-olds in the stable - El Sicario and Knew It, both recent winners in Victoria.

The former was runner-up in last season's Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes at Awapuni where Saturday's Danehill Stakes winner Saracino finished third.

"El Sicario will probably run next on the synthetic track at Pakenham again and then into the Guineas Prelude or the Bill Stutt Stakes," Busuttin said. "Knew It will either run at Cranbourne on Thursday or at Caulfield on Saturday and that will then dictate the rest of her spring - the Guineas might be a bit soon for her, but she could be an Oaks filly."

Bred and raced by Waikato Stud, the daughter of O'Reilly is out of the Zabeel mare Know All who is a three-quarter sister to the dam of the Matamata farm's Cox Plate-winning resident Ocean Park.

New Melbourne Cup favourite Wicklow Brave has been given 55kg for the $6 million Flemington showpiece.

The Willie Mullins-trained stayer shot to the top of markets after his surprise win over former favourite Order Of St George in the Irish St Leger at The Curragh on Sunday. International gallopers Order Of St George and 2014 winner Protectionist have been announced as joint topweights with 58kg yesterday, although neither are likely to contest the Flemington feature.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien has doubts about sending Order Of St George to Melbourne, where he would have to give Wicklow Brave, who beat him in the St Leger at level weights, three kilos.

Defending champion Prince Of Penzance and the three-time Group One winner Preferment have both been given 56.5kg and Who Shot Thebarman, who was third in 2014, has 55kg.

New Zealand-breds Tarzino and Tavago, the respective winners of last season's VRC Derby and the Australian Derby, have 54kg.

The former Kiwi-trained mare Rising Romance has been allotted 52.5kg while Auckland Cup placegetter Sacred Master has 51kg. Among those on the 50kg minimum is last season's NZ Oaks winner Fanatic.

- NZ Racing Desk, AAP