Neville Parnham is hoping a fresh approach to Bustler’s gear setup will provide the spark needed for a return to winning form in Saturday’s Group 3 Hyperion Stakes (1600m) at Pinjarra.
After a disappointing return in the Group 3 Belmont Sprint (1400m) on May 28, the seasoned trainer has opted to remove blinkers, which didn’t have the desired effect in his first-up effort.
Bustler looked sharp in a lead-up trial wearing blinkers, but in the race itself, he faded to finish eighth behind The Boss Lady, leaving Parnham to rethink strategy.
“We’ve taken the blinkers off him,” Parnham told TABradio.
“He just got a bit tight with them on and wanted to get a bit keen at one stage.
“I’ve applied a tongue tie on him as well, just a couple of little things that Steve (Parnham) picked up in the run.
“Hopefully he can get to relax a bit better, he just got uptight with the blinkers on.
“There’s no denying how well the horse is going and with all the rain about, the track is going to be a bit more forgiving.”
Bustler, who hasn’t won since his triumph in the 2023 Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m), is seeking to snap a 10-run drought across two preparations, including a stint in Melbourne.
The five-year-old son of Playing God has drawn barrier four and will be ridden once again by Steven Parnham.
Currently listed at $6 through wagering apps, Bustler is considered the third favourite behind Magnificent Andy ($3.20) and Western Empire ($3.80) in early betting.
In other stable news, the return of September Born is on hold after recent assessments revealed the three-year-old isn’t performing at his best.
“I’m just not happy with him at the moment,” Parnham said.
“He’s not quite himself and we’re doing some more tests with him.
“We’ll go through that process and see how long it takes him to get over this hiccup.
“If he can sort of get back on track we can continue on.
“We’ll miss the feature races we were looking at, but it doesn’t mean he couldn’t go elsewhere.
“Probably by the end of the week I’ll have a better picture.”
It’s been a tough run for September Born, who had his Ascot campaign cut short last year after pulling up lame in the WA Guineas (1600m).
Punters looking to back Bustler or find value in the Hyperion Stakes should check out the best odds and bonus offers available at trusted Australian betting sites.
