The Victoria Derby propelled Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young into the Australian racing spotlight; however, the 2500-metre Group 1 has offered them little but disappointment since their 2011 success with Sangster.

The Cranbourne training partners experienced heartbreak last year, finishing second in the Flemington Classic with the outsider Arcora, twelve months after Sunsets claimed third, adding to a second placing with Sully in 2017.

A common thread among these three runners is why Young is keenly awaiting Wednesday’s barrier draw for their Derby contenders, anticipating it with as much eagerness as the race itself.

Sully drew barrier 14, Arcora drew 11, and Sunsets started from the extreme outside gate in a 16-horse field. In that same year, Busuttin and Young also had Kosgei, who finished fourth, commence from barrier 12.

“We’ve always had a couple of runners in the Derby, it’s not easy to do with three-year-olds at this time of year, but you just need a bit of luck,” Young stated.

“We’ve run second with horses that have had really wide barrier draws and all those little things come into play when you’re tackling Group Ones.”

Busuttin and Young have three nominations among the 24 three-year-olds for the Derby on Monday, including Gilgeous, who placed fourth in last Saturday’s Moonee Valley Vase, alongside Cignetti and Icy You.

Cignetti and Icy You are both entering the Derby off the back of third-place finishes in tight finishes. Cignetti, a gelding by Super Seth, finished in the Group 3 Caulfield Classic (2000m), while Icy You, a son of Pinatubo, was third in the Listed Geelong Classic (2200m).

Young indicated that each horse possesses unique attributes that qualify them as Derby candidates.

“They’ve gone a couple of different paths, but they do actually work together, and I think Cignetti has that little bit better turn of foot, whereas Icy You is more an out-and-out stayer,” Young explained.

“Each race Cignetti just tightens up that little bit. He’s quite a big, gross sort of a horse but looking at him on Saturday morning I was thinking he’s really got nice and fit and he’s going to be spot on for the 2500.

“Icy You had to do a little bit of work on the corner (at Geelong) and I thought he was pretty tough to stick on. He’ll love the trip, he needs 2500, and he’s tightened up nicely too.”

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