Tsitsipas can bounce back from Derby flop and serve up win in VRC St Leger at Flemington

The Australian

24-04-2025

Failing to win the Australian Derby is no barrier to claiming the VRC Leger at Flemington.
Three of the last 12 VRC St Leger winners had their last starts in the Australian Derby before relishing the steep class drop in the traditional Anzac Day feature.
Tsitsipas will attempt to join the likes of Hippopus (2013), Sacramento (2020) and Alegron (2022) by bouncing back from a Sydney defeat to win the Listed contest.
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Tsitsipas finished 14 lengths from the brilliant winner Aeliana in this year's Australian Derby, but co-trainer Trent Busuttin said little went right for the gelding at Randwick.
'We were hoping to go up there and get a wet track but that didn't happen,' Busuttin, who trains Tsitsipas in partnership with Natalie Young, said.
'I'm not saying he would have won or been in the finish of that race but he drew wide and was basically three and four-wide without cover the whole way and ran accordingly.'
Fortunately for connections, Tsitsipas took no harm from his tough Sydney trip.
Busuttin noted Tsitsipas went into the Australian Derby with a bigger than desired gap between runs, meaning the son of Japanese stallion Staphanos would be fitter for the VRC St Leger.
Tsitsipas will drop sharply in class when he contests Friday's VRC St Leger at Flemington. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images
'It's the ideal race for him because he probably lacked the class for the Sydney Derby,' Busuttin said.
'He's pulled up well but the way it panned out, he was seven weeks between runs.
'He's come back and bounced through the trip so it looks a good progression for him.'
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Tsitsipas is the highest-rated runner in the VRC St Leger on 70, which advantaged him under the set weight scale of $200,000 race.
Busuttin said the staying test would present a great chance for the promising stayer to compete for good money against lower-rated opposition.
'It's a $200,000 race and he's fit, happy and healthy,' Busuttin said.
'He will stay the 2800(m) no dramas.'
Tsitsipas is a $6 chance in early VRC St Leger betting behind the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Format, who failed to beat a runner home at his last outing in the Group 2 Tulloch Stakes at Rosehill.
American Wolf will step up in class when he tackles Friday's Listed VRC St Leger at Flemington. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images
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Tsitsipas's stablemate American Wolf is a $9 chance but Busuttin said the developing stayer faced a test against tougher opposition than his last start.
'He's won a maiden at Ballarat by a nose but he's a big, rangy, skinny New Zealand type of staying three-year-old,' Busuttin said.
'He's an old-style sort of horse.
'He's by Tivaci so there would be a query over the distance but he's out of a Zabeel mare and looking at him, he's definitely thrown to the dam side.'
Craig Newitt will ride Tsitsipas while John Allen will be aboard American Wolf.