The $400,000 Group II MVRC Drummond Golf Vase (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday showcases up and coming young 3YO stayers with lightly raced Rebel Dane gelding True Rebel taking the prize in a driving finish.
Trained by Danny O’Brien and ridden by Blake Shinn, True Rebel came with a well timed run to power past Ghaiyyath (IRE) colt Skua to win by half a length.
It’s been a swift rise in class and distance all in his first preparation for True Rebel, who won a maiden at Geelong in September at his second start and came to this race off a second in a Benchmark 70 race at Caulfield over 1600m.
TRUE REBEL WINS THE VASE ?? The Derby awaits Danny O'Brien's Gelding! @blake_shinn @DOBrienracing https://t.co/PgXxYI1arw
— 7HorseRacing ?? (@7horseracing) October 24, 2026
True Rebel was an $80,000 Magic Millions purchase for his trainer from the Silverdale Farm draft and is the best of two winners from three foals to race from Spirit Medium, a winning half-sister by Helmet to Group II winners Renaissance and Sessions as well as SW Haunted.
True Rebel’s grand-dam Seances is also a stakes-winner and is a half-sister to ill-fated Champion 3YO Filly Unworldly, who won a G1 AJC Flight Stakes at a mile.
Nothing in his pedigree says stayer, but that won’t stop Danny O’Brien giving True Rebel a crack at next week’s $3million Group I VRC Victoria Derby (2500m).
"It was genuinely enough run, so he had to see it out. He always seems travel as well as anything in the race and probably the last horse off the bridle and kept finding the line,” said O’Brien.
"Physically he looks like a stayer but on pedigree he doesn't. He's a very relaxed customer and all of his races say he wants further and he got out to the 2000 today and stayed well.
“It is another step to go further but all of the horses next Saturday are in the same boat.”
Blake Shinn was happy for the win, but has reservations about the Derby trip.
"He's announced himself today. He's made a good step to 2000m. He's just a no fuss horse. He's got a great physical frame, although he's by Rebel Dane, a sprinting sort of horse,” Shin said
"Danny's a great judge of a horse. He identifies these style of horses. A little bit left field and this is another one.
"His attitude has carried him to 2000. He may be better at a mile or 1800 but class got him through today.
"You've got the Derby (worth $3million) at the doorstep next week. It is going to be really tempting and Danny is a master at making these right calls.
"It is going to be an interesting decision for him. It's a Derby there for anyone's keeping. It is a wide open race and the horse is fit and well. If you get a sit and sprint type of Derby, it'll play into his hands but if you get a staying test, I've got reservations.”
True Rebel has the overall record of two wins and two placings from just four starts with prizemoney just shy of $300,000.
Silverdale Farm sold his full brother at Magic Millions this year for $70,000 abd Spirit Medium has a yearling colt and colt foal to follow by Stay Inside.
True Rebel is the fourth stakes-winner for Group I winning sprinter Rebel Dane, who shot to fame when siring Golden Slipper winner Fireburn in his second small crop of foals.
True Rebel comes from his biggest and best foal crop conceived off the back of Fireburn when his service fee had climbed to $27,500.
Rebel Dane is priced to please at Widden NSW this spring at just $6,600.
