The Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) will always have special meaning to Cambridge horseman Robert Wellwood, who won his first Derby in the 2022 edition of the race with Pinarello, and he is hoping to double his tally in the Classic this weekend.
Derbys were top of mind for Wellwood when he joined Derby King Roger James in a training partnership eight years ago, and he now has three to his record, with two of those coming in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) with Orchestral (2024) and Road To Paris (2026).
Wellwood will now be shooting for his fourth, while James is in search of his ninth, when Waikato Stud filly Solid Gold contests the Queensland Derby at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
While winning a Derby with a filly is nothing new for the pair, they will have their work cut out for them from Solid Gold’s wide alley of 14.
The stable has had a frustrating run of wide draws for their contenders in Queensland this autumn, and Solid Gold continued that trend when drawing barrier 13 in the Gr.3 Rough Habit Plate (2000m) at Doomben a fortnight ago, where she ran on well for fifth.
“She went back and her run was very good. Eagle Farm is a bigger track so that will suit her,” Wellwood said.
“We haven’t had any luck whatsoever with any of our Australian runners this autumn, but we have just got to hope for a bit of luck on Saturday.”
James is currently in Brisbane overseeing Solid Gold’s final few days, and Wellwood said he has received positive reports from his training partner.
“Roger is over there and he has been happy with her,” he said. “She worked on the course proper on Tuesday and worked nicely, it’s just the weather and barrier that is not playing our way.”
While the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) seven days later was also an exciting target, Wellwood said they chose the Derby for several reasons, particularly the extra 200m distance.
“We chose it for the extra distance, it is worth $300,000 more and when we saw her compete against the boys in the Rough Habit, and competed well, and came out of it so well, we decided to look at going to the Derby,” he said.
While a Group One assignment awaits Solid Gold this weekend, her trainers are currently weighing up the options for her stablemate Sweynesday following his two unplaced runs in Queensland in the Listed Takeover Target Stakes (1200m) and Gr.3 BRC Sprint (1350m).
“He has just had no luck with barriers either and has been caught three and four wide with no cover in both of his runs,” Wellwood said.
“Whether he has one more run there or whether he comes back and focusses on domestic targets next year is still to be decided.”
Back at home, the stable is set to line-up a quartet of runners in the coming days, and Wellwood is particularly looking forward to three-year-old gelding Dark Duke making his debut in the Gartshore Construction Maiden 1400 at Tauranga on Friday.
“Dark Duke is a nice horse and he has drawn nicely (4),” Wellwood said. “I think he is going to be better with time, but he is a horse we are looking forward to seeing step out.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
