All In The Family For Auckland Cup

MEDIA RELEASE

March 5, 2013

All In The Family For Auckland Cup

Racing’s in the blood for the Busuttin family and it’ll be fairly pumping tomorrow come 5.55pm at Ellerslie for the running of the 2013 Auckland Cup.

Red-hot favourite Sangster can deliver a remarkable result for the Busuttins if he wins the big race – a rare, father-son Auckland Cup double.

Paddy Busuttin trained the great Castletown to Auckland Cup glory in 1992 and now, 21 years later, Paddy’s son Trent has the chance emulate his father as an Auckland Cup winner, as trainer of Sangster.

Should Sangster claim the cup the Busuttins will join an elite club of father-son training duos as winners of the country’s greatest staying race alongside one of the country’s greatest racing dynasties – the O’Sullivans.

The Dave O’Sullivan-trained Blue Denim won the Auckland Cup 1980, while son Lance – the former champion jockey, was the trainer of Pentane when he won the cup in 2006.

“To put the Busuttin name alongside that of the O’Sullivans would, in every way, be a phenomenal achievement,” said TAB Head of Fixed Odds Racing Phillip O’Connor.

“And there’s every reason to think this could happen – Sangster’s dramatic price drop has already caused quite a stir.”

When prices opened in November last year Sangster was a $31 outsider, but three impressive runs in the past two months have seen the Cambridge-trained gelding’s price shift in markedly to make his the $2.10 favourite for tomorrow’s feature.

And the money keeps on coming.

“We moved the price in to $2.20 and interest from punters only seemed to increase,” said O’Connor.

“If they’re right and Sangster wins tomorrow, then Paddy and Trent Busuttin will share in a great piece of history.”

The Auckland Cup is considered New Zealand’s greatest staying race and is contested over 3200m. Record crowds are expected at Ellerslie tomorrow, with the feature set to jump at 5.55pm.

ENDS

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