KARAKA - 2026
GRUNT x HEREFORAGOODTIME
Bay Colt
We went to Karaka with the specific aim of finding a Derby horse, and this colt’s pedigree points straight at it. His profile screams VRC Derby, and maybe the VRC St Leger along the way — a pathway that's already proved successfully for HCR's own American Wolf.
​
Lot 474 kept answering the same questions every time we looked at him. ​There is a quiet strength to him. An athletic frame that suggests he will grow into himself, traits we have learned to trust when mapping a longer, more deliberate path.
​
That path matters. He will be trained by Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young — the same partnership that guided American Wolf from early education through to a VRC St Leger victory and into Group 1 company. That experience directly shapes how we think about this colt.
​
He now begins that journey from the New Zealand sales ring into the Green & Black silks of High Calibre Racing.
SERIOUS STAYER IN THE MAKING
PEDIGREE
There is a depth to this colt’s page that invites patience. It is built on horses that stood up to training, stayed sound, and improved as the task became harder. It's a pedigree that works!
Sire: GRUNT -
A high-class racehorse whose career was defined by toughness and competitiveness. A Group 1 winner of the Australian Guineas, he consistently performed at the top level against strong company, racing with distinction from sprint distances through to a mile. Trained under a structured, European-influenced system, he was a horse who thrived under pressure and stood up to demanding campaigns.
​
At stud, Grunt has made an early impression. His progeny are showing the same traits that defined his own career — strength, athleticism and a genuine will to compete. He has already sired a Group 1 winner (Veight — winner of the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes), confirming his ability to pass on class, and his stock are proving to be horses that handle training, cope with racing, and continue to progress rather than plateau. Importantly, they are not one-dimensional types; they show the capacity to quicken while still sustaining effort, a quality that holds up as distances and expectations increase.
​​
Dam: SALMAH—
The female side brings genuine staying depth and international credibility. Hereforagoodtime was a durable, honest race mare, winning four races from 2080 metres to 2400 metres — a profile that speaks to stamina, soundness and resilience rather than speed alone.
​
She comes from a family that has repeatedly delivered at black-type level. She is a sister to Listed winner Diwali and Group 1–placed Harlow Gold (VRC Oaks), and a half-sister to Group 3 winner Weissmuller and Listed winner Travolta. The wider family includes dual Group 1 winner Roch ’N’ Horse, reinforcing the quality, versatility and durability that sits behind this page.
​
Taken together, Trent believes this boy It is built for work, one that should thrive in a structured program, and earn his opportunities as the journey unfolds over the longer distances in Oz.
TRENT BUSUTIN & NATALIE YOUNG- A Proven HCR combination
This colt will be prepared by the highly regarded Cranbourne-based partnership of Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young.
Their international experience and methodical training approach have already delivered tangible results for High Calibre Racing — most notably with American Wolf, who brought HCR its first stakes win in the 2025 VRC St Leger and then went on to contest the Group 1 South Australian Derby.
​
Busuttin & Young have a strong track record across both sprint and staying races, blending patience with precision to develop horses capable of rising through class. Their familiarity with this colt’s profile — a horse with athletic substance and a race-ready attitude — makes them an ideal fit as he begins his racing journey.
A Balanced, Purpose Built Athlete
He presents as an athlete with a staying frame — clean, balanced and efficient.
​
There’s no excess. He carries good length, moves with rhythm, and holds his shape as he walks. The movement is powerful, and he gives the impression of a colt that will cope with education and routine without making it hard work.
​
You’re looking for the same traits that sold him in the flesh: balance, ease of movement, and a colt that stays relaxed while still travelling forward. He doesn’t need to “show off” — he just moves like a horse that will stand up to a proper program.
VOBIS Bonus Eligible
This colt is VOBIS Sires eligible, meaning he qualifies for Victorian VOBIS prizemoney bonuses when racing in eligible events.
​
VOBIS Sires eligibility applies to horses by approved stallions and allows owners to earn additional bonus prizemoney on top of standard race earnings when the horse wins or places in nominated Victorian races. These bonuses can apply across two- and three-year-old races and selected older-horse events.
​
In simple terms, VOBIS Sires eligibility increases the financial upside of racing in Victoria, particularly through early and progressive campaigns.
Strictly Limited Shares Available
Current ownership options:
​
2.5% = $3,900
5% = $7,800
10% = 15,600
​
Purchase price includes- GST, Pre-Purchase Vetting & Scoping, International Equine Freight (Aukland-Melbourne), Karaka Race series nomination & Annual Insurance (2026).
​
Sire Custodians AFSL223671
