Buggsy's spring campaign commences at Sandown

The prospect of a major race during the spring carnival is a common aspiration for trainers nurturing a talented young horse.

Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, operating from Cranbourne, share this ambition.

Alongside the Golden Slipper winner Guest House, who is being pointed towards significant races, they hope Buggsy can emulate that success in the spring.

Before then, they will closely observe Buggsy's performance in his first start back in the Chef's Hat Handicap (1000m) at Sandown on Saturday.

Buggsy achieved a debut victory over the same course and distance in March and followed it with a third-place finish in the Listed Redoute's Choice Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on April 11.

Kent Jnr remarked that Buggsy had 'come of age' this campaign.

"He won track and distance on debut, albeit very greenly, and he had probably come to the end of his prep when he ran third in a Listed race," Kent Jnr said.

"Whilst he only got beaten a length and ran third, I thought there was a bit more there and that he had come to the end of it by then, so we gave him a nice break, and have set him for the spring.

"He's trialled up well and I think there's improvement to come. His trackrider thinks the run will bring him on and it's hard to disagree with him.

"He's a strong colt but I think he's forward enough for 1000 metres."

While Kent Jnr indicated Buggsy is ready for a 1000m run on Saturday, potentially for a win, he also noted the difficulties in preparing the colt on tracks affected by rain.

"It's the same every spring," Kent Jnr commented.

"We're ducking and diving, avoiding Polytrack trials and waiting for the grass, but we've had a pretty good run with him.

"He's had two good grass trials, he went well in the second one when he went head and head with a Group 1 filly from New Zealand (Lara Antipova) and they cleared out from third.

"He's a sprinting colt. We don't think we'll get him out to a mile this preparation.

"That's our feel at the moment and the obvious races beckon if he goes well on Saturday."

Craig Williams, who guided Buggsy to his initial win, is set to partner the colt again this Saturday.

Get involved in the action and explore the best betting markets for the race at Sandown.