The $1million Group I BRC Queensland Derby (2400m) has attracted a full field of 18 and with no established G1 stars engaged it’s a dartboard job- shut your eyes, toss the dart and you may well find the winner!
Quite a few runners have already contested Derbies this season with varying degrees of success and while the track is currently rated heavy there is improving weather on the radar from Friday with a sunny Saturday predicted.
We’re going through them short and sweet – are they bred to stay and can they do it fast enough to win?
1.Kilman (NZ) (Sire - Super Seth Dam Sire – O’Reilly) Chris Waller / Ryan Maloney(3)
Sire Super Seth had the winner of this race last year in Maison Louis and this guy comes from famed New Zealand THE family – The Jewel, The Chosen One, The Phantom Chance – yep he’s one of them. First try at trip.
2. One Step Closer (Castelvecchio / Wild Rush ) Tom Charlton / Ben E Thompson (20)
Fourth in Victoria Derby and sixth in Australian Derby – he can stay, but needs to improve.
3. Different Gravy (Ghaiyyath / Medaglia D’Oro) Henry Dwyer / Mark Zahra (5)
By Ghaiyyath, sire of Victoria Derby winner Observer and has won to 2000m, but on trial at this trip. Female family is more sprinter milers, but this guy has a double cross of Sadler’s Wells, so can see why connections are having a throw at the stumps.
4. Providence (Wootton Bassett/ Fastnet Rock ) Chris Waller / James McDonald(8)
Fifth in Victoria Derby and then dodged Australian Derby to take a more measured approach to this target race where he gets out in trip again for the second time. Wootton Bassett is yet to sire an Australian bred G1 winner which is somewhat surprising and I can see this colt rectifying that anomaly.
5. Options (Impending/ New Approach ) Tony and Calvin McEvoy / Tim Clark (19)
Only tenth in Victoria Derby when he did not find the line and while there are 2400m G1 stayers going back in this family like Dizelle and Vengeance of Rain, he seems a speedier beast maybe better at a mile like his relation Brave Monarch, who won the G2 Queensland Guineas and runs in the G2 Fred Best.
6. Beauty Swift (Pierro/ Redoute’s Choice) Matthew Smith / Kerrin McEvoy (22)
Two runs at 2000m encouraging with a last start second in G3 Rough Habit earning him a first try at the trip and it looks warranted given his sire Pierro has the runs on the board siring Derby and Oaks winners and this guy has a double cross of Zabeel.
7. Monopolistic (NZ) (Savabeel/ Fastnet Rock ) Chris Waller / Ben Melham (17)
Last start winner at 2100m and is by a great classic sire in Savabeel, but female family is all speed, think Joliestar and Merchant Navy, and that may come back to bite him if the going gets tough.
8. Southern Prince (Trapeze Artist/ Zabeel ) Annabel and Rob Archibald / Tom Sherry (1)
Two runs at 2000m both pretty good, fifth in G1 Spring Champion Stakes and fourth in G3 Rough Habit. Trapeze Artist has been a surprisingly good sire of stayers and this horse is from a quality Kiwi family that has produced NZ Oaks winner Amerlinha and Doomben Cup winner Metal Bender. He’s a roughie with a good hope.
9. Amazake (Maurice/ Fastnet Rock ) Ciaron Maher / Ben Allen (16)
Maiden who was thirteenth in Victoria Derby and sixth in the SA Derby. His sire Maurice did give Ciaron Maher his dual Derby winner Hitotsu, but can’t see a similar result for this one.
10. O'sheamus (Shamus Award/ O’Reilly) Tom Charlton / Ethan Brown (23)
Only ninth in Victoria Derby and dodged Australian Derby, so getting back out to the trip again for first time since then. His sire Shamus Award has a good classic record, but I’m not convinced.
11. Defendant (Justify/ Tavistock) Chris Waller / Jason Collett(11)
First go at 2000m when midfield in G3 Rough Habit, so has to improve a lot to figure, but pedigree wise it’s possible. Justify can get horses to win at a Classic trip and beyond and dam sire Tavistock was one of the best in the business at it.
12. Accidental Bid (GB) (Phoenix Of Spain/ Tiger Hill) Ciaron Maher / John Allen (6)
NH bred 3YO that has the pedigree to put him right in the mix and missing that run in the SA Derby last month probably put him a run short last start when he appeared to run out of puff in the G3 Rough Habit. Can improve sharply.
13. Buthelezi (Smart Missile/ Crowded House) Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman / Luke Nolen (13)
His sire Smart Missile is not noted for stayers, but his owner/breeder Trevor Delroy is and on that basis Buthelezi is doing what he was bred to as dam has a pedigree that reads as a lesson on stayers. Encouraging last start third at Flemington over 2000m, not to be underestimated.
14. Falcon Lair (Dundeel/ Redoute’s Choice) Annabel and Rob Archibald / Adam Hyeronimus (15)
Effective at 2000m in lower grade and on trial at trip here. Dundeel is a great classic sire, but female family is all speed, he’s a no for me.
15. Michelangelo (Trapeze Artist/ Sebring ) Dean Mirfin / Nash Rawiller (14)
Second runner for Trapeze Artist in the race and not without hope given his full sister Pinito was second in the G1 Queensland Oaks last year. Started life in the Chris Waller stable and now trained at Bathurst by Dean Mirfin and country life appears to suit him. Comes in full of confidence after last start 2100m win on heavy at Hawkesbury… if your dart hits him.. all good.
16. Chillies (Too Darn Hot / Sinndar) Grahame Begg / Jordan Childs (2)
Encouraging third in Listed VRC St Leger at 2800m and then sank like a stone on bottomless heavy 10 at Ipswich over 2180m. By top class sire Too Darn Hot and comes from an Aga Khan female family that bristles with Group winning marathon stayers, pedigree a big tick, so connections will be praying for that sun to come out.
17. Inspired Legend (Dundeel / Redoute’s Choice) Les Bridge / Jamie Melham (12)
Has had a few goes at 2000m and gone OK, but on trial at this trip. By great classic sire Dundeel and is from G1 Australasian Oaks winner Abbey Marie, a full sister to G1 Australian Oaks winner Absolutely. Pedigree is fancy, but gee form would suggest he might just be a slow horse.
18. Solid Gold (NZ) (Savabeel/ O’Reilly) – Roger James and Robert Wellwood / Tommy Berry (18)
Only filly in the field and is a G3 winner in NZ at 2100 and first run here steamed home from a mile back for fifth in G3 Rough Habit. Full sister to G1 Australian Derby winner Major Beel and is going to take a power of beating in her first try at this trip.
No tips from me, this is way too hard! Pull out your dartboard.
