Dusty Road gave Graeme Cameron his first taste of Group One racing last year, and the Cambridge owner-trainer is keen to shoot for the stars again after a dominant performance in Saturday’s Woods Contracting (1400m) at Te Rapa. 

Cameron arrived at Te Rapa on Saturday with eight training successes to his name, three of them from Dusty Road. That highly talented son of Shamexpress has also taken on some of New Zealand’s best with a midfield finish in the Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m) as a three-year-old, followed earlier this season by a sixth in the Gr.3 Spring Sprint (1400m) and a fifth in the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m). 

The Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) at Hastings on September 7 is firmly circled in Cameron’s calendar this spring, and what he saw from Dusty Road on Saturday did nothing to change his mind. 

Sent out as a $2.10 favourite for Te Rapa’s $40,000 open sprint, Dusty Road broke well from the starting gates and quickly took up a prominent position on the outside of the leader, Dubai Diva. 

Dusty Road pounced at the home turn and kicked away by more than two lengths. Eased down in the last couple of strides by apprentice jockey Liam Kauri, Dusty Road crossed the finish line a length ahead of the late-finishing Fonteyn. 

From 21 career starts, Dusty Road has recorded four wins and five placings, earning $120,515 for Cameron and his wife Jacky. 

Dusty Road is now rated a $31 chance on the TAB’s Tarzino Trophy market, which is headed by Legarto ($3.50), Crocetti ($4.50) and Orchestral ($6). 

“I don’t know if I’m going over the top or not, but I’m looking at the Tarzino,” Cameron said. “I think he deserves a go in that race. We’ll go straight there, rather than running in the Foxbridge Plate (Gr.2, 1200m). 

“This horse is just a ripper. I think the 4kg claim did wonders for him today and it was a really good win. 

“We looked at Otaki today as well, but I thought this race really suited him. It’s just down the road, and he’ll be back in his paddock in an hour.” 

Saturday’s victory was also a notable result for the 25-year-old Kauri. The Central Districts apprentice has now outridden his 4kg claim with the 10th win of his career. 

“It’s good to finally lose the 4kg claim, it’s been a bit of a struggle but should be easier from here,” he said. 

“I didn’t really have to do anything today. I just sat on him. He jumped out of the gates himself and sorted himself out. I barely even had to steer him around the corners. He did it all himself.”