The Busuttin and Young-trained Rich Hips ($7) has saluted in the Group 3 Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes at Flemington for the second year running with a daring ride from visiting hoop Nash Rawiller.
The Written Tycoon mare won convincingly by a length and a quarter over Exceldia ($26) with Paul’s Regret ($19) a further three and a quarter lengths back in third.
Out of the dam She’s Curvaceous, the well-named mare has been competing exclusively at Group level of late, a fact not lost on co-trainer Trent Busuttin.
“She’s gone up to that level where she’s been racing against the Group 1 mares, it’s tough,” Busuttin said.
“She’s run consistently throughout the year and been two or three lengths off them.
“She hasn’t had things go her way and she had them go her way today. Nash (Rawiller), he’s the king.”
The win takes the five-year-old’s earnings over the $550,000 mark and adds another Group 3 to her record to go with this race last year and the Group 3 Mannerism.
“She’s Group 3, maybe Group 2,” Busuttin said.
“It would be great to get that Group 1, very hard. We might sneak her up to Newcastle in ten days.”
Newcastle plays host to the $1 million Hunter over 1300m on November 13.
Jockey Rawiller was grateful for the rides he’s received from the Busuttin and Young camp and was happy to get the job done for the Cranbourne-based stable.
“Good win, and I’m getting good support from Trent this week,” Rawiller said.
“You could tell he was a little nervous before this race.”