Scenic Shot’s close relation Buster’s Empire is making pleasing progress up the ranks in Perth.

A month after the 10 year-old warhorse finally called it a day, Buster’s Empire will be gunning for a winning hat-trick in Race 5 at Belmont this Saturday.

Buster’s Empire (4g Due Sasso – Secret Empire by Second Empire) is from a half-sister to Scenic Shot.  “Obviously, there not in the same league but there’s plenty of upside to him,” trainer David Harrison said.  “This Saturday is the biggest test to date.”

Buster’s Empire has scored all-the-way wins as a short-priced favourite at Northam and Belmont in the last month.  “His sire Due Sasso is also by Scenic and I liked him from the outset,” Harrison continued.  “I wasn’t the only one – he cost $100,000 at the 2010 Magic Millions.”

Due Sasso stands for a $5,500 service fee at Mungrup Stud.  He was a G3 winner of the 2006 Blue Diamond Prelude at Caulfield for owner-breeder Des Pope and trainer Brian Mayfield-Smith but injury cut his career short after just 8 starts.

His latest winner arrived on Wednesday when Black Truffle scored a front-running victory at Belmont.  She was the first leg a winning treble for Mungrup sires that also included Chanify (Comfy) and Geiger Rio (Oratorio).

Due Sasso came close to siring a treble of his own on Wednesday after Ernie Boy and the Harrison-trained Sass N Ping both finished second.  The latter – like Buster’s Empire – had also won his maiden at Northam before coming to town.

– Karl Patterson

BUSTER’S EMPIRE
Due Sasso galloper gunning for a hat-trick at Belmont