Racing: Sangster plans work perfectly

Hugh Bowman gets Sangster home in front of Godolphin's Induna in yesterday's VRC Derby. Photo / Getty Images

An ambitious plan formulated at a minor New Zealand horse sale a year ago had its crowning moment on Australasia's biggest stage when Sangster won the Victoria Derby at Flemington yesterday.

The victory over Induna from the global Darley operation was a triumph for young New Zealand trainer Trent Busuttin and the second consecutive Derby on a Kiwi for Hugh Bowman.

Busuttin, who turned 32 on Tuesday, was almost lost for words when Sangster ($13) held off Induna ($5.50) by a head with Sabrage ($16) 1 lengths third at the end of the 2500 metres.

He prepares Sangster for a syndicate which paid $19,000 for the then colt at a ready to run sale.

"It's just amazing to be here, I can't describe it," Busuttin said.

"Everything's gone according to plan.

"He put in an ordinary gallop on Tuesday but we took solace out of [Cox Plate runner-up] Jimmy Choux doing the same last week.

"We couldn't do much about it so we carried on.

"We bought him just under 12 months ago at the ready to run sale for $19,000.

"He was a big skinny horse but we gelded him and he filled out and he showed he could gallop from day one."

Busuttin brought Sangster to Sydney in August to experience Australian racing. He won one race then was placed three times in four runs leading up to yesterday's Derby.

Bowman won last year's Derby on the ill-fated Lion Tamer and answered the call when New Zealand's champion rider James McDonald was sacked after Sangster ran second to Sabrage in the Norman Robinson Stakes.