Embellish 3YO emphasizes talent

Promising three-year-old Emphasize has overcome an interrupted preparation to continue his march toward higher age group honours.

The exciting son of Embellish came off victory at his second start against a moderate maiden line-up at Sale last month to beat the older horses over 2000 metres at Caulfield in what was a late change of plan.

Emphasize was to have run at Sandown seven days previously, but parted company with his rider on the way to the start and was a late scratching.

“He had a softer day out rather than racing, but he pulled up well after it,” said Trent Busuttin, who trains with Natalie Young.

“We’ll look at the Autumn Classic (G2, 1800m) and the Rosehill Guineas (G1, 2000m), or the Alister Clark (G2, 2040m) at Moonee Valley.”

His longer-term target will be at Group 1 level, but which Derby he is set for has yet to be determined. He is currently at $12 in the pre-post betting for the New Zealand Classic.

Emphasize settled fourth last at Caulfield under Craig Williams before making a wide run across the top and finished determinedly in the run home.

“We certainly thought he would be closer, but he missed away and Craig sorted the rest out,” Busuttin said.

“It was a good, tough win and five weeks between runs. He can’t do much more than what he’s done.”

Bred by Pamela and Katie Hallam's Yarrawonga Racing Ltd, Emphasize was purchased by Inglewood Stud for $5,000 from Castle Hill Farm as a weanling and was resold for $75,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale to OTI, Busuttin Racing and Phil Cataldo Bloodstock at Karaka where he was offered by Cheltenham Stables.

Emphasize is a son of the Dane Shadow mare Dancing May, a sister to the G1 South Australian Derby winner Shadows In The Sun.

Dancing May has a two-year-old sister to Emphasize.