The Group I VRC Victoria Derby at Flemington on Saturday is worth a whopping $3 million and the testing trip of 2500m means a lot of horses are not going to see it out strongly and this looks a competitive year with no G1 winners engaged and a full field of up and comers set to do battle, so let’s see what the pedigrees have to say.
1. Cormier (Maurice (JPN) x Abbey Marie, by Redoute's Choice) Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich / Jamie Mott (3)
Has won only one of seven starts, but showed class and staying talent when last start third in the G1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) after a fourth in G3 Gloaming Stakes (1800m).
By top class stallion Maurice (Jpn), sire of last week’s Cox Plate winner Cosmic Crusader and also a previous Victoria Derby winner in Hitotsu. Cormier is a half-brother to Inspired Legend, who was third in G1 Queensland Derby last season and is from Abbey Marie, who won G1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) and is a sister to Absolutely who won G1 Australian Oaks (2400m).
Bred on same cross as Hitotsu and ticks all the boxes as a classic style of colt.
2. Stormy Marco (Wootton Bassett (GB) x Rose Memory (IRE), by Elusive City (USA)) Chris Waller / (16)
Like the previous colt, this guy has won only one of seven starts and was fourth in the Spring Champion after a fifth in the Gloaming. Does himself no favours with his style of racing and will be going back again here from a wide gate, but always finds the line.
5 FROM 5 AND NOW A GROUP 1 STAR. PROXIMA DEA WINS THE SPRING CHAMPION STAKES ?? @ZacLloydX @DPayneRacing https://t.co/6QlrtJ01u1
— 7HorseRacing ?? (@7horseracing) October 24, 2026
By proven Classic sire Wootton Bassett (GB), who has already given the Waller stable a Derby winner in Providence and grand-dam is by Galileo, so that’s enough to give optimism for the trip.
3. True Rebel (Rebel Dane x Spirit Medium, by Helmet) Danny O'Brien / Billy Egan (17)
Two wins from just four starts and still in his first prep after debut in September and comes here off a last start win in G2 Drummond Golf Vase (2040m), but they did walk to the line, so a big question mark on the form from that race.
By G1 winning sprinter Rebel Dane, best known as sire for Golden Slipper winner Fireburn and dam won 1 race at 1300m and comes from family of sprinter milers so it’s hard to have any confidence that 2500m will be his preferred trip.
4. King Snitz (Snitzel x Princess Jenni (NZ), by High Chaparral (IRE)) Shane Jackson / Damian Lane (6)
Another horse in his first prep with two wins from just four starts, but has always been trained with this race in mind and comes here off last start win in G2 Sportsbet Classic (2000m) after a runaway 2000m maiden win at Warrnambool.
By champion sire Snitzel, who has never had a Derby or Oaks winner in Australia, but his dam Princess Jenni was top class and won G1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) and a Bendigo Cup (2400m). She’s by elite staying sire High Chaparral and next dam by Zabeel, so I’m giving King Snitz a live chance of becoming a history maker for Snitzel with a good gate and Damian Lane to ride!
5. Murshidi (Maurice (JPN) x Daleelaty, by Lonhro) Ciaron Maher / Blake Shinn (18)
Broke his maiden last start in Listed Geelong Classic (2200m) with grinding staying effort to win narrowly.
Second runner in the race for Maurice, but lacks the turn of foot of the other horse Cormier despite coming from a much speedier female family which makes me think he’s a slow horse that may have had his birthday last week. That said, he has the advantage of a champion trainer and jockey here, but Hitotsu he is not.
6. Vallice (Maurice (JPN) x Moselle Valley (GER), by Guiliani (IRE)) Ciaron Maher / Mark Zahra (14)
One win from seven starts which came last season over 1400m at Caulfield, but has been racing really well this spring in the right races and was last start close second in G2 Sportsbet Classic.
Caulfield Race 1 | King Snitz King Snitz and @LaneDamian win a thrilling edition of the G3 Norman Robinson Stakes ?? A Caulfield Cup Day triumph for @jackson_sw ?? ?? Ch. 78/68, Foxtel 529, Kayo or via our app REPLAYS: https://t.co/HEhdpozFmy https://t.co/ZLZ8qvTDxe
— Racing.com (@Racing) October 17, 2026
Third in the race for Maurice and is bred to be here being from German bred half-sister to Aussie import G1 winner Mawingo with next dam by Sadler’s Wells and third dam was US G3 winner Mackie, from elite US family that has produced countless SWs including Kentucky Derby winner Sea Hero. Pedigree says he can be another Derby hero for Maurice, whether that is this Derby or another next year remains to be seen.
7. Skua (Ghaiyyath (IRE) x Dowitcher (USA), by Lonhro) Ciaron Maher / John Allen (13)
One win in 1600m maiden from six starts, but gave a good account last start when close second in G2 Drummond Golf Vase last Saturday after a sixth in G2 Sportsbet Classic.
The Vase | True Rebel Favourite wins! True Rebel races into VRC Derby favouritism with an impressive audition for the 3YO staying feature ?? ?? Ch. 78/68, Foxtel 529, Kayo or via our app REPLAYS: https://t.co/HEhdpozFmy https://t.co/MPmh4vS2ad
— Racing.com (@Racing) October 24, 2026
By the sire of last year’s Derby winner Observer in Ghaiyyath (IRE) and is bred on same cross as he too was from a daughter of Lonhro. Skua needs to lift, but there are things in the female family that suggest he can do just that as his dam is a three-quarter sister to a pair of G1 winners at 2400m in Vengeance of Rain and Dizelle (dam of VRC Oaks winner Pinot) with third dam Palatious winning a G2 Perth Cup at 3200m. If pedigrees won races, he’d be top three.
8. Cignetti (NZ) (Super Seth x Touting (NZ), by Savabeel) Trent and Natalie Busuttin and Young / William Pike (12)
Six starts have produced four placings and a maiden win at 1400m and he has never run worse than fifth with last start close third in G2 Sportsbet Classic indicating he might be ready for a personal best here.
By proven classic sire Super Seth and is from a daughter of champion sire Savabeel, who has produced countless Classic winners and while the female family tend to be very good milers, Cignetti has a 4 x 3 double cross of Zabeel and that will take him a long way.
9. Icy You (Pinatubo (IRE) x El Daana, by Redoute's Choice) Trent and Natalie Busuttin and Young / Craig Williams (10)
One win in 1600m maiden from five starts and never worse than fourth and comes to this off close second in Listed Geelong Classic, when he did all but win.
From the first Australian crop of Pinatubo (IRE), a fascinating stallion that profiled for speed as a Champion 2YO, but in the NH has left far more staying SWs than sprinters with his best horse Saddadd, a G1 winner at 2400m this year. Has a quality pedigree being half-brother to South African G1 winner Al Muthana and G3 winner Wawail from G2 winner El Daana, who won to 1600m and placed in G1 SA Derby. Nothing not to like about this pedigree.
10. True Tone (Dundeel (NZ) x Tune Doubt, by Not A Single Doubt) Chris Waller / (15)
Maiden win at Warwick Farm over 1600m from five starts and last start third in Listed Geelong Classic as favourite.
By proven Classic sire Dundeel, but female family is very much geared to speed with first three dams by Not a Single Doubt, Rory’s Jester and Umatilla. Stakes-winners in the immediate family are all sprinters and I’m just not feeling the staying vibe.
11. SCRATCHED Hierarchy (Dubawi (IRE) x Colette, by Hallowed Crown) Anthony and Sam Freedman / Ben Melham (4)
Just four starts for a win in Cranbourne maiden at 1400m and last start only eighth in G2 Drummond Vase, but got a long way back and did find the line and run right though the line.
Godolphin blueblood, who is the first foal of glamour mare Colette, who won the G1 Australian Oaks, Empire Rose and also a Golden Eagle before Sheikh Mohammed elected to give her a shot at the very best at stud with a cover to legendary sire Dubawi in her first season. Hierarchy has a heavy weight of expectation given the pedigree, but I would not be at all shocked if he jumped out of the ground to figure in the finish.
12. Written Empire (Written Tycoon x Altea (FR), by Siyouni (FR)) Ben, Will and JD Hayes / Harry Coffey (2)
Four starts with a maiden win at Bendigo over 1400m and was last start sixth in G2 Drummond Golf Vase.
By champion sprinting sire Written Tycoon, who has never sired a G1 Derby or Oaks winner and while this fellow is a from a French bred SW that won up to 1700m and is by champion French sire Siyouni, I don’t see the stamina on the page required for this assignment.
13. Russian Rock (Russian Camelot (IRE) x Rocka Mirage, by Fastnet Rock) Michael Trotter / Michael Dee (7)
Four starts for a maiden win at Kilmore over 1450m and last start fourth in G2 Sportsbet Classic.
By an elite stayer in Russian Camelot (IRE), who an SA Derby, so that’s a positive and dam is by Fastnet Rock, a genuine champion sire that could produce Derby and Oaks winners as well as everything else. Female family traces directly back to NZ Horse of the Year Tidal Light, who won an NZ Derby. Maybe not for this Derby, but keep your eye on him come the autumn.
14. Cold Shower (Too Darn Hot (GB) x Seracena, by So You Think (NZ)) Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott / Jett Stanley (5)
Has had just three starts – (never shorter than 2000m which is highly unusual in this country) - for a maiden win at 2270m at Geelong and was last start sixth in Listed Geelong Classic.
By top class sire Too Darn Hot (GB), who is yet to sire a Classic winner and his best progeny to date have excelled only to 2000m in both hemispheres. Dam won at 1200m, but is a half-sister by So You Think to dual Derby winner Rebel Raider which explains the intent to train this horse as a stayer. Can envisage he will be put on the pace from a good gate and is likely to be in contention well into the straight.
15. King Winston (Churchill x Royal Reset, by Reset) Greg Eurell / Daniel Stackhouse (9)
Still a maiden after four starts and was fifth in G2 Drummond Golf Vase.
By Churchill (IRE), a more than useful sire by Galileo that shuttled to Coolmore for a good while and will have a fancied runner in the Melbourne Cup in Trustyourinstinct (IRE) that will be ridden by J-Mac. Dam is by Cox Plate winner Reset, who left plenty of stayers, but this female family is pedestrian to say the least although eventually goes back to Kiwi staying blood that has filtered down to another runner in this race in Cignetti. Can he break the maiden here… not likely.
16. Quick Finish (Grunt (NZ) x Gentle Strokes, by Golden Horn (GB)) Tony and Calvin McEvoy / Jye McNeil (11)
The only filly in field and has won three of four most recently taking the G3 Ethereal Stakes (2000m) and given this race is worth three times the money on offer for next week’s G1 VRC Oaks why not have a throw at the stumps.
Her sire Grunt already has a G1 VRC Oaks winner to his credit in Strictly Business and this girl is from an unraced mare by Epsom Derby winner Golden Horn from another unraced mare by Dubawi with the rest of this female family all American going back a very long way. Given the moderate form of the colts this year, a win for Quick Finish would not shock.
Quick Finish has an older full sister called Checkout Chick, who is yet to win in 10 starts and could manage only fourth at the Harden picnic races last Saturday highlighting the fact that thoroughbred genetics is far from an exact science.
If Quick Finish wins on Saturday am tipping Checkout Chick will be finding her way to stud sooner rather than later!
Emergencies
17. Meet The Prince (Royal Meeting (IRE) x Hallowell Lane, by Lonhro) Patrick Kearney / Jackson Radley (1)
18. Locked In (Shamus Award x God Bless Us, by Flying Spur) Ken and Kasey Keys / Ben Allen (8)
SELECTIONS
1/Stormy Marco
2/Cignetti
3/King Snitz
4/Cormier
Roughie
Cold Shower
