Bustling announced himself as the best 2-year-old in the West when he dominated from start to finish in Saturday's $500,000 Group II Amelia Park—Karrakatta Plate at Ascot.
A second consecutive winner for trainer Dan Morton after Super Smink (Super One) last year, the son of Frosted (USA) was backed down to an odds-on favourite and was never in danger. With little more than a shake of the reins from Blake Shinn, Bustling accelerated clear to defeat the Calyx (GB) filly Earthstorm by four and a quarter lengths, with the Blue Point (IRE) filly Blue Rocket a half-head back in third.
Coming off a win in the Listed Perth Stakes, Bustling advances his record to three wins and a second from four starts with earnings of $467,620.
"It really was an easy watch. I wasn't aware of the time (1:09.06), but that is super slick for a two-year-old, and that was very impressive," Morton said.
"Our only concern was if he didn't step clean, was he going to get bottled up on the fence, because he's a horse with a big stride.
"He stepped beautifully, and from then it was a comfortable watch.
"That was only his fourth race start, and all things being equal, he should mature in to a beautiful horse. He has been exciting even before he trialled."
Blake Shinn was having his first ride on the son of Frosted (USA) and was impressed.
"Just beautiful; he feels like a 3-year-old; he has a very good mind and is a lovely type," Shinn said.
“Well done to Dan. He asked me to ride him a while ago, as he had a horse for the race,” Shinn said.
"I take my hat off to him; he had him primed to the minute, and he had the race in his keeping a long way out."
“He was among the best out. He was very switched on and after a 100m we were allowed to lead pretty much uncontested. He did not feel he was going that fast as he was doing it within himself. I didn’t get to the bottom of him, which is pretty scary.”
A homebred for Oaklands Park Stud, Bustling is the best of three winners from as many to race for the stakes-placed Key Business mare Busimiss, who was sold on Inglis Digital last year for $15,000.
After foaling a filly by Sessions last spring, Busimiss revisited the son of Lonhro.
Bustling is the 27th black-type winner for Tapit’s triple Grade 1 winner Frosted (USA), who shuttled to Darley for six seasons (2017–22).
