Craig sticks with Craig in 2025 Lord Stakes

Craig is poised to continue his comeback when he lines up in Friday’s Listed Lord Stakes (1600m) at Sandown.

The promising galloper endured a testing year on the sidelines after suffering a bone chip injury and later undergoing surgery to correct a breathing issue.

Trained by Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, Craig resumed at Caulfield last month with Craig Williams aboard and now heads into his second run back.

Busuttin said the first-up performance showed signs the gelding needed the outing.

“He was OK first-up but lacked a bit of ringcraft, he was very rusty,” Busuttin said.

“It’s a bit different when you’re fresh up against maidens or class 1 horses, but he’s going well and he’s come on big time from it.

“He had a chip taken out of a joint and then when we got him back, he went in the wind.

“I thought the wind operation had worked, nine out of 10 times they don’t, and he’s still got to go out do it, but Craig (Williams) came back in and said his breathing was fine.

“I was happy when he rang up for the ride, so that tells a bit of the story.

“He can get off and say blah, blah, blah, but him wanting to ride him next time tells you something.”

Williams partnered Craig in the Listed Testa Rossa Stakes (1400m) on November 29, where he finished seventh.

Busuttin said Craig had improved noticeably since that effort.

Whether the gelding can return to the level that saw him finish second in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) remains to be seen, but his trainer remains hopeful.

“He’s run second in a Toorak, albeit beaten a fair way, but he’s Group 1 class,” Busuttin said.

“Now he’s got to come back and show us that after the wind op, but if he was right, and its pie in the sky, but the All-Star Mile and those sorts of races could be on the radar.

“It’s not long now until you’re starting to get ready for those races.

“Best case scenario, he runs well Friday and we then can give him a freshen up for the autumn.”

Punters can assess Craig’s chances in the Lord Stakes via the Australian betting sites list.