Busuttin team searching for first win together

By Glenn Davis

The Busuttin name is famous in the racing industry in both Australia and New Zealand.

Former Kiwi trainer Patrick Busuttin is semi-retired and trains a small team of horses at Deagon, on Brisbane’s northside, while working part-time mentoring stable hands for Racing Queensland.

He moved to Deagon six years ago after a stellar career in New Zealand, winning multiple Group 1s in four countries - Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Macau.

Patrick is best remembered by Queenslanders as the trainer of former top Kiwi stayer Castletown.

Castletown won three Wellington Cups, an Auckland Cup and a New Zealand Derby, all at Group 1 level. 

Patrick's daughter Julie also has found her niche in the racing game as an apprentice jockey to her father.

The 19-year-old has a 9.7% strike-rate with 30 wins and 87 placings from 309 rides.

She has an even better season strike-rate of 11.3% with eight wins and 19 placings from 71 rides.

Julie’s career has taken her to many parts of country Queensland. 

While there’s a long road ahead in Julie’s career, she and her father will return to the scene of her most memorable win at Gatton on Friday.

Gatton was the venue of Julie’s maiden victory, aboard the late Pat Duff-trained Viking Valour in June of 2024.

While Julie has ridden many winners for other trainers, she’s yet to ride one for her father who hopes for a breakthrough with Our Orator in the Benchmark 60 Handicap over 1400 metres.

“It was a memorable day when she rode her first winner for Pat Duff at Gatton,” Patrick said.

“But, it would be nice if she could ride one for me.

“She’s had a few rides for me but has run heaps of seconds.

“I’ve joked to her I’m getting a new apprentice and she’s joked back saying she’s on the look-out for a new trainer.”

Patrick revealed his daughter has had to overcome a weight battle over the past six months.

“She had an overactive thyroid and the treatment she had saw her weight shoot up to 59kgs,” he said.

“It’s taken a while, but she’s managed to get it under control and she can now ride 55kgs and it’s on the way down.”

Patrick is confident of a strong first-up performance from Our Orator who hasn’t started since finishing seventh in a 2400 metre Benchmark race at the Gold Coast in October last year.

“He always races well first-up and I’m expecting him to be very competitive,” Patrick said.