Racing: Caorunn just too good

Caorunn

Caorunn's career may not have gone completely to script, but his form line continues to make excellent reading for his connections.

The precocious juvenile posted his third and most important victory to date when he proved too good for his rivals in the group three Phoenix Park 2YO Classic at New Plymouth yesterday.

"We had him sold to Hong Kong, but the vet knew better than us and failed him," said co-trainer Trent Busuttin, who shares in the ownership syndicate that includes Singapore-based horseman Shane Baertschiger.

The diminutive Caorunn showed his talent early with a runner-up finish at his spring debut before he won successive races at Otaki and Awapuni before a solid run for fourth in the Listed Karaka Million.

"If they're fast enough, they're big enough," said Busuttin, who prepares Caorunn with his partner Natalie Young.

A brother to Boodles who was unbeaten in both his two-year-old starts last season, including one at New Plymouth, before his sale to Singapore interests, Caorunn was given a perfect run in the trail by Masa Tanaka.

They angled clear deep into the straight and comfortably reeled in the pacemaker Saracino to win by three quarters of a length.

"He's a professional little horse and it was a professional ride from Masa," Busuttin said.

Tanaka, who returned in December after two years away, was having his first ride for the stable.