Dusty Road ready for Te Rapa task

[Wandering Eyes]

Bargain buy Dusty Road continues to reward his connections and another top showing is expected from the talented performer this weekend.

The genuine son of Shamexpress will bid to further his record for trainer Graeme Cameron, who races the four-year-old with his wife Jacky, in the Mike Stent Decorators Sprint (1200m) at Te Rapa on Saturday.

Dusty Road has been out twice on his current campaign and following a resuming second, he finished a gallant runner-behind last season’s Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) Pier at Te Aroha.

“He’s really at the top of his game and came through his last run well and just gone ahead in leaps and bounds,” Graeme Cameron said.

“I can’t believe how well he is at the moment, he’s at peak fitness. He had a run along on Wednesday morning and he was brilliant.

“It will be another top field on Saturday and he’s up with the big boys, he’s got the points and put himself right there.”

Dusty Road was purchased as a yearling for $4,000 in a private deal struck by Cameron with the horse’s iconic breeder, the late Sir Patrick Hogan.

“He’s a real beauty and we’re enjoying him so much, it’s unbelievable fun,” he said.

“It’s hard to get a good one and I think he’s one of a lifetime.”

Dusty Road is from proven Cambridge Stud stock and is the first foal of Valotia, a daughter of the nursery’s former shuttle stallion Cape Blanco.

Valotia is out of the Gr.2 Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic (2000m) winner Singalong who was also runner-up in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m).

Saturday’s outing will continue the path of Dusty Road, a three-time winner of nearly $90,000, toward a likely tilt at next month’s Listed Sinclair Electrical & Refrigeration Opunake Cup (1400m).

“I’m thinking about heading to the Cup, I was going to that series at Whangarei but he might not handle that track and believe he’ll prefer New Plymouth,” Cameron said.

“Hopefully, he keeps going forward so we can have a crack at some bigger races with him.”

Dusty Road will be ridden in his Te Rapa assignment by Jasmine Fawcett, who had partnered him in his last two appearances and they combined last spring to win an open handicap at Tauranga.

“Jasmine is on him again, I can’t get her off,” Cameron said.

“She knows the horse and gets on really well with him so I’m happy to have her. She does a good job and she’s flying too.”

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