Trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young are hoping for a reversal of luck when promising three-year-olds Nostringsattached and Daggers go head-to-head in Saturday’s K A Morrison Handicap (1400m) at Flemington.

While it’s not ideal to have stablemates clashing, Busuttin believes the race is a perfect fit for both colts.

Daggers began his career in impressive fashion with back-to-back wins last spring and looked on a potential path toward the Caulfield Guineas. However, unplaced efforts in the Exford Plate and Stutt Stakes saw connections opt for a spell.

He returned this autumn with a second-place finish over 1200m at Flemington before dropping to 1100m in the World Pool Classic, where he was outsprinted late. A trip to Adelaide followed, finishing midfield behind The Goodwood winner Reserve Bank.

“Daggers has been racing better horses than these,” Busuttin said.

“He didn’t have much luck last start, he drew inside Reserve Bank and Reserve Bank went forward and sat outside the leader and we went back to last.

“I thought he ran very well.”

Stablemate Nostringsattached was also aimed at Guineas races, being an emergency for the Australian Guineas in March. Instead, he won the Future Stars series at Pakenham two days prior.

He then narrowly missed in the South Pacific Classic (1400m) at Randwick, before finishing last in a below-par run at Caulfield on May 3.

“Last start was a non-event,” Busuttin said.

“It was messy, he was favourite, it was very hard the Caulfield track that day, and he didn’t appreciate it and threw his head about.

“We’ll forgive him one bad day. If he turns up, he can bounce back.”

Punters looking to back Nostringsattached or Daggers in the K A Morrison Handicap can find markets and offers at Australia’s best betting sites.