An aggressive Daniel Moor forced Muramasa through a narrow seam at the 250m and the son of Deep Impact (JPN) strode clear for a decisive win in the Group III Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2400m) at Flemington on Champions Day.
The Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young-trained four-year-old is three for three since being gelded and advances his record to four wins and a second from ten starts with earnings of $447,140.
A last-start winner of the Group III Coongy Cup at Caulfield, Muramasa defeated the Group 1 Livamol Classic winner Ladies Man (Zed) by two and a half lengths with a half-length back to the highly regarded import Duke De Sessa (IRL) (Lope De Vega), placing for the first time in five Australian starts.
A $500,000 Inglis Easter purchase for Busuttin Racing from the Arrowfield draft, Muramasa is the first foal of High Chaparral's Group II ATC Silver Shadow Stakes winner Omei Sword.
“This means he is qualified for the big race (Melbourne Cup) next year,” Natalie Young said.
“The owners love this horse. I remember being at Inglis and thinking I’d pay $800,000 for him, and he was half the price of that.
“I thought he was going to turn into something one day and hopefully, it is a Melbourne Cup horse.
“Daniel gave it a peach of a ride. He put him in a fantastic spot.
“He was bred to be a million-dollar horse and he was the second to last horse in the ring and everyone had gone home.
“He got gelded after he ran in the Derby and had a tieback. He’s now won three this preparation.
“We scratched him from the Bendigo Cup. Just giving him three weeks because sometimes, third-up they can put in a flat one, especially coming back from a wind op.
“He’s got a real turn-of-foot and this race panned out for the goals in a year’s time.
“We’ve just got to keep it together for the Zipping on 2 December so he might do that. Just has to pull up well.
“Another fantastic graduate from Arrowfield. That brand on the side of their shoulder there gives you an extra three or four lengths.”
Runner-up in the Group 1 ATC Golden Rose, Omei Sword was a $1,700,000 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale purchase for Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock (BAFNZ)/Freyer Bloodstock.
Out of Fastnet Rock's Group I MRC Thousand Guineas winner Irish Lights, Omei Sword has a 2yo I Am Invincible colt, which was a $260,000 purchase for Busuttin Racing from the Arrowfield Stud draft at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Omei Sword has a yearling colt by Snitzel and was covered by him again last spring but missed.
