JJ Atkins on the radar for unbeaten Blind Raise
Expat New Zealand trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young have their sights set on the Queensland Winter Carnival after Blind Raise (NZ) (Ace High) added black type to his unbeaten record in Saturday’s A$175,000 Listed ANZAC Day Stakes (1400m) at Flemington.
The Kiwi-bred son of Ace High kicked off his career with a stylish debut win at Sandown on April 6, and he stepped out at Flemington three weeks later as a $2.15 favourite to repeat that result. He duly delivered in the hands of jockey Beau Mertens.
After taking up a handy position in second behind the front-running Cignetti, Blind Raise cruised up alongside that rival early in the Flemington home straight. Mertens shook the reins with 200m to run and the favourite drew clear with ease. He went on to win by two lengths from the late-finishing Profligate and Seraphox.
Offered by his breeders The Oaks Stud in Book 1 of Karaka 2025, Blind Raise was a $70,000 purchase by Busuttin Young Racing. His perfect two-start, two-win career has so far banked A$140,725 in prize-money.
“He was pretty impressive,” Busuttin said. “The market said he would be hard to beat, and they were right.
“You always want to see them do that, especially at their second start. He’s taken that next step and he’s done it pretty easily. I’d say he floated a bit when he was out in front by himself, but it’s good to get the job done.
“He’ll head up to Queensland now, where we’ll have a crack at the Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr.2, 1400m, May 30) and the JJ Atkins Stakes (Gr.1, 1600m, June 13).”
Blind Raise is by Rich Hill Stud stallion Ace High out of the Darci Brahma mare Away Cruising. Herself a two-race winner, Away Cruising is a daughter of Seachange, who carried The Oaks Stud’s colours to seven Group One victories and two-time New Zealand Horse of the Year honours.
Away Cruising is a half-sister to the stakes-placed Divan and also to the two-race winner Pelican, dam of Group One performer and young Coolmore stallion prospect Storm Boy.
Blind Raise is one of two winners from two foals to race out of Away Cruising. She is also the dam of five-race winner Usir (by American Pharoah).
After foaling Blind Raise in 2023, Away Cruising returned to Ace High and produced a colt that is currently a yearling. She had a colt foal by Almanzor last spring.
Blind Raise is the sixth stakes winner for Ace High and his third in Australia, joining Gr.2 Zipping Classic (2400m) and Gr.3 Tesio Stakes (2040m) winner She’s A Hustler – who was also an eye-catching fourth in the Gr.1 Queen of the Turf Stakes (1600m) at Randwick earlier this month – and also the Listed Jungle Mist Classic (1200m) winner Drakaina.
