The frustration for New Zealand trainer Trent Busuttin is about to end as the talented El Roca returns to racing in the BTC Cup at Doomben on Saturday.
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Busuttin has had to watch on during the spring and autumn while his three-year-old has been sidelined with a tendon strain.
"It happened at the beginning of the spring and we have just made sure it was right before pushing him," Busuttin said. "It will be 13 months since his last start in the Doncaster on Saturday, so I don't know if we can expect him to win against a very good field, but he is going pretty well.
"We decided to miss the autumn and target this race, the Doomben 10,000 and the Stradbroke, so it has been a slow build.
"He trialled very well last week, but we are going to meet some very good horses on Saturday, and we're first-up for a long time."
El Roca has a decision over Dissident when resuming last preparation in the Eskimo Prince Stakes last year. He was then second to Terravista in the Liverpool City Cup, nosed out by Dissident in the Randwick Guineas and third in Gordon Lord Byron's George Ryder Stakes.
His last appearance was a midfield finish in the Doncaster on a heavy track.
"You look at what the horses that were just beating him have done - Terravista, Dissident, Gordon Lord Byron - and you think gee whiz," Busuttin said. "That is frustrating because he is a group 1 horse.
"We don't know if he is back to that sort of form yet. We find that out on the track in the next couple of weeks but if he doesn't get there we are going to be hard to beat."
The BTC Cup will be the first group 1 test for Our Boy Malachi, which would be the early favourite, while Trust In A Gust, Bring The Maid and Srikandi make a field of the next generation of sprinters.
Busuttin will have a second group 1 runner on Saturday, when VRC St Leger placegetter Gifted Lad heads to the South Australian Derby.
"He is a Zabeel that will run the 2500m and after his run in the St Leger, he has earned a shot at the Derby," Busuttin said. "It is the first time I can remember having two group 1 runners on the same day.
"With the Derby dropping back to 2200m in Brisbane and being at Doomben, this was the only option for him. And these days the step up from three-year-old racing is so gigantic it makes sense to give him a shot at the big money while it's there.
"Looking at the Oaks on Saturday, it going to be very hard to beat that West Australian filly [Delicacy]. She won like a very good horse but we will run the trip and be there at the end."
