Hustler aiming at Guineas

[Wandering Eyes]

Rosemont Stud’s ambition to breed a Melbourne Cup winner might result in a Thousand Guineas victor instead, after Born Hustler (Tarzino) won her three-year-old fillies maiden over 1400 metres at Sandown Lakeside on Wednesday.

In 2018, Rosemont owners Nigel Austin and Anthony Mitten decided to send 30 mares to Tarzino, who they part-own in New Zealand.

Born Hustler, who is trained by Jason Warren, is one of the resulting foals, with the half-sister to the recently retired Brooklyn Hustle (Starspangledbanner) notching her first victory at the third attempt.

Ridden by Jamie Kah, Born Hustler ($3.30 favourite) led throughout from barrier two in the eight-horse field, holding off the fast-finishing Love Nest (Alpine Eagle) ($21) by half a length on the Heavy 10 surface.

“She’s not really a leader and I didn’t want to lead on her in the end, but she was quite quick out of the gates and put herself there,” Kah said.

“I don’t think she loved the Heavy track either, so there’s plenty of credit to the win.

“She’s a tough, honest horse and very different to her sister (Brooklyn Hustle) in her racing pattern, but I think when this horse gets over 2000 metres she’ll possibly make a Saturday class horse.”

The corresponding race last season was won by Bons A Pearla, who then won the Group 2 Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield, and Warren is likely to choose a similar path for Born Hustler.

“It’s been our plan all this prep to prepare her for the Thousand Guineas, whether or not that she’s at that level remains to be seen but she’ll get her chance to get there and she’s going the right way at this early stage,” Warren said.

“She’s still only new to racing having just her third start, but it was a pretty game effort.”

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