Scusa a bright spring prospect

A lucrative spring has been tipped for the well-related juvenile Scusa after he opened his account at Ellerslie on Queen’s Birthday Monday. A brave fourth in the Listed Great Northern Foal Stakes at his previous appearance, he finished strongly for his first career success under leading apprentice Rory Hutchings.

“He took a little while to get into his rhythm and we were a couple of spots further back than I would have liked,” he said.

“His experience definitely helped him and I was able to work into the race and then peel of their backs.”

Co-trainer Graeme Rogerson purchased Scusa for $34,000 out of WS’s Select Sale draft at Karaka last year.

“He’s just got better and better and I think he’s a Guineas horse,” Rogerson said. “We’ll see whether he goes again or we turn him out.”

By No Excuse Needed, he is a brother to the Gr.3 CS Hayes Stakes winner Take The Rap from the family of the champion stallion O’Reilly