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| Staff Writer |
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In the high-stakes world of Australian horse racing, few trainers have made as swift and impressive an impact as Michael Kent Jnr. The young horseman, in partnership with the legendary Mick Price, has rapidly ascended to the upper echelons of the training ranks, consistently producing top-class performers across all distances. Now, Kent Jnr is once again setting his sights on Australia's richest race, The Everest, boasting a prize fund of US$13.5 million, with an exciting new prospect that has the racing world buzzing.
Enter Bustling, a precocious talent from Western Australia who has captured the imagination of racing enthusiasts across the nation. The son of Frosted arrived at Kent Jnr and Price's Cranbourne stable with a Perth suntan and a burgeoning reputation, having won four of his first five starts, including a dominant 4 length victory in the Gr.2 Karrakatta Plate at Ascot.
"He's a gorgeous horse and awfully athletic," Kent Jnr enthuses. "He is not a typical two-year-old type, he's got a lot of leg beneath him and still has a lot of growing to do. That was one of the factors in purchasing him; we were confident he wasn't just a flash in the pan 2YO."
Kent Jnr is no stranger to The Everest challenge. In 2022, he and Price saddled Jacquinot to a creditable fifth-place finish in the prestigious sprint. That experience has proven invaluable as they plot Bustling's path to glory.
"Two years ago, we had Jacquinot, now standing at Widden Stud. He won the Golden Rose before going three weeks to The Everest," Kent Jnr reflects. "The Golden Rose is 1400m. We then had to come back in distance to 1200m for The Everest."
The lessons learned from Jacquinot's campaign have shaped Kent Jnr's approach with Bustling. "I suppose the learning was that three-year-olds can run really well in this race. We've seen Yes Yes Yes and Giga Kick win the race. And our horse, Jacquinot, ran super, only being beaten by a length. That certainly gave us confidence that you can win this race with a smart three-year-old."
Unlike with Jacquinot, where The Everest "was never really a possibility until we won the Golden Rose," Kent Jnr and his team have had Bustling earmarked for the race from the outset. This foresight has allowed for a meticulously planned campaign.
"Before we purchased Bustling, we thought this horse may be an Everest horse. So that was the sell to the new owners, that if we bought this horse, we could go to The Everest with him," Kent Jnr explains. "We put together a syndicate and included a couple of the owners with an Everest slot already. So that was the whole idea."
The strategy for Bustling's Everest tilt is clear and well-considered. Kent Jnr outlines the plan, "At this stage, after the Cranbourne and Sydney trials, we think he will attempt the Gr.2 Run To The Rose at Rosehill. It's for 3YOs and over 1200 meters. He will be racing against some of the best 3YOs in the country in that race."
(Bustling in August at Cranbourne - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpRaW02tOeE)
"Then we think that most likely, two weeks later, he'll run in the Listed Heritage Stakes. That's 1100m for 3YOs at Rosehill also. That race will be three weeks through to The Everest."
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Kent Jnr's confidence in Bustling is not just based on the horse's raw talent, but also on his belief that Australian sprinting is entering a new era. "I really do believe there is a changing of the guard in the sprinting ranks at the moment and the country is looking for its next star sprinter," he asserts.
"I'm not sure if he will be it, but he certainly has a chance, and you have to go and find these horses. He is a very exciting prospect for the stable."
This sentiment is echoed in Kent Jnr's broader view of the upcoming racing season. "I think it's a very hard race to win, but I do feel that there are a few spots in the Australian sprinting ranks for the young, just-turned-three-year-olds to step up and become the next wave of Australia's top sprinters. I hope he's one of them."
For Kent Jnr, The Everest is more than just another race. It's an event that captures the imagination and creates unforgettable moments. Recalling Jacquinot's run in 2022, he says, "Everest day was probably the coolest moment I've ever had on a racecourse."
The atmosphere at Randwick on Everest day is electric, with the now-traditional playing of Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" adding to the spectacle. "We didn't know it was coming on. It's become a thing now, but it really caught us by surprise," Kent Jnr remembers. "It was the most amazing atmosphere. The iconic tune was chanted by the record 46,000-plus crowd. It was the coolest build-up."
While The Everest is the primary target, Kent Jnr is keeping his options open for Bustling's future. "We do hope he wins the Everest. But there are also other races to win beyond the Everest. There's the Winner's Stakes, which is run after the Everest for horses that compete in the Everest. And there's just fantastic money at the top level for these good horses."
This forward-thinking approach is characteristic of Kent Jnr's training philosophy. He is not just focused on immediate success but on developing horses for long-term careers at the highest level.
While Bustling may be the headline act, Kent Jnr and Price's stable is brimming with talent across all distances. Warmonger, impressive winner of the Gr.1 Queensland Derby by ten and a half lengths, is being aimed at the Caulfield Cup and possibly the Melbourne Cup.
"He is a very lightly raced progressive stayer. We don't know where his ceiling is yet. He's still improving," Kent Jnr says of Warmonger. "It's a big jump from a three-year-old Derby to an open Caulfield Cup, where you might see some very fancy European or international runners. He will keep improving, but right now, he's going really well."
Another star in the making is Vibrant Sun, winner of the Gr.1 South Australian Oaks in the Autumn. "We're going to keep her to a mile this preparation," Kent Jnr reveals. "Her main target will be either in the Golden Eagle in Sydney or the Gr.1 Empire Rose in Melbourne at Flemington on Derby Day."
As the spring racing season approaches, all eyes will be on Kent Jnr and his talented team of horses. With Bustling leading the charge towards The Everest, and a stable full of Group One contenders, the young trainer is poised for what could be a career-defining season.
Yet, despite the weight of expectation, Kent Jnr remains grounded and focused on the task at hand. When asked about the possibility of winning the Golden Rose and The Everest in the same year, he simply smiles and says, "Dreaming's for free."
This combination of ambition and pragmatism has propelled Michael Kent Jnr to the forefront of Australian racing. As he prepares Bustling for the challenge of The Everest, the racing world watches with bated breath. Could this be the year that Kent Jnr scales the summit of Australian sprinting? Only time will tell, but with Michael Kent Jnr at the helm, the journsey will be one to remember.