The Group I VRC Victoria Derby is worth a whopping $2 million and the testing trip of 2500m means not always the best horse wins, but rather the horse that stays best on the day.
2500 metres is a long way and the gruelling last furlong frequently undoes some of the better horses, leaving the grinders to fight out the finish so let’s take a look at the pedigrees in the search for roughies to challenge the favourites.
1 SHARP 'N' SMART (NZ) (3g Redwood (GB) x Queen Margaret, by Swiss Ace) – Last start G1 winner of ATC Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) and got the trip strongly. Overall record of four wins and two seconds from sevens starts tells you all you need to know about his determination.
Hi sire Redwood is by High Chaparral and was a G1 winner at 2400m. Dam is by Oakleigh Plate winner Swiss Ace, but European blood further back in the female family suggests plenty of quality with five time G1 winner Halling on the page.
2 BERKELEY SQUARE (3g Territories (IRE) x Bahamas, by Teofilo (IRE) – Fourth in the Caulfield Guineas and then last start winner G2 MVRC Moonee Valley Vase (2040m), so has class and a great record winning four from six.
Half-brother to Senor Toba, who was second in G1 Queensland Derby and is from a half-sister to G2 Matriarch Stakes winner Affair to Remember. His sire Territories is a G1 winning miler by speed sire Invincible Spirit, but has thrown a good stayer in Hoo Ya Mal, who was second in the Epsom Derby this year and runs in the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday. Dam sire Teofilo a plus.
3 LET'SROLLTHEDICE (3c Dundeel x Hannah in a Hurry, by More Than Ready (USA) – Fifth in G2 MRC Stutt Stakes and last start second in Listed Geelong Classic (2200m), won G2 VRC Sires Produce Stakes last season.
By Champion 3YO Dundeel, who won the Australian Derby, but female family is more about sprinter milers, although he did try hard last start and could easily be in the finish.
4 MR MAESTRO (NZ) (3g Savabeel x Let Me Roar, by Rip Van Winkle (IRE) – Last start winner of G3 MRC Caulfield Classic (2000m) following win in Listed VRC Super Impose (1800m) and Derby Preview (1800m) and has looked better with every race.
By outstanding classic sire Savabeel and is from G2 placed Let Me Roar a half-sister to G1 Victoria Derby winner Lion Tamer and his fourth dam is outstanding staying mare My Blue Denim, who was second in a Melbourne Cup. Pedigree screams Derby contender as does form!
5 PERICLES (3g Street Boss (USA) x Accessories (GB), by Singspiel) – Only three starts, maiden win at Newcastle over 1400m, then a second over 1400m and a last start third G2 Moonee Valley Vase, so is lacking the experience of his more seasoned rivals.
What he does not lack is pedigree given he’s from a blue hen that has left Group I winners Helmet and Epaulette, plus Group winners Pearls and Bullbars, however none of those have been able to win beyond a mile. It would seem Pericles has thrown very much to his female family which is all European staying blood and includes last year’s Epsom Derby winner Adayar, so can’t rule him out based on pedigree although Street Boss has never sired a stakes-winner over further than 2100m.
6 GRAND PIERRO (3g Pierro x Le Societe, by Anabaa (USA) – Two wins from six starts and strong last start winner of Listed Geelong Classic (2200m).
By proven classic sire Pierro and while his dam was a G3 placed sprinter, she is from Zabeel’s G2 placed NZ St Leger winner Ritzy Lady, who won up to 2500m. Has a double cross of Zabeel and everything points to him enjoying the longer trip.
7 MANZOICE (NZ) (3c Almanzor (Fr) x Choice, by Mastercraftsman (IRE) – One win at 1300m from five starts and last start eighth in G1 Spring Champion after a good second to unbeaten older stayer White Marlin at Rosehill over 1800m.
From the first crop of Champion European 3YO Almanzor, who was at his best at 2000m and his dam Choice was a G3 winner at 1600m by Mastercraftsman, who has proven very effective as a sire of stayers leaving five G1 winners at 2400m or further. Can’t help thinking he’s a preparation away.
8 FOUJITA SAN (3c Maurice (Jpn) x Belle Giselle, by Redoute’s Choice – One win and two seconds from six starts. Second in Stutt Stakes and then had to go a long way back from wide gate when unplaced in Caulfield Guineas, but only beaten 3.3 l.
Half-brother to a couple of staying stakes-winners in Messene and Cordero and traces in tail female line to Zabeel’s mother Lady Giselle. Bred on the same cross as last year’s winner Hitotsu, who was also unplaced in the Caulfield Guineas beaten about 3l. He could easily jump right out of the ground, do not underestimate.
9 SKYPHIOS (3g Fiorente (Ire) x Spleasure, by New Approach (IRE) – One win from six starts came at Flemington in July over 1800m and two runs since unplaced Caulfield Guineas and Moonee Valley Vase.
By Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente from a daughter of Epsom Derby winner New Approach and third dam Islington, Champion European 3YO Filly of 2002. Bred to run the trip no question, is he good enough is another question.
10 MURAMASA (3c Deep Impact x Omei Sword, by High Chaparral) – Only three starts, maiden winner at Sale on debut 1400m, then seventh in Stutt and last start close second G3 Caulfield Classic (2000m).
By champion Japanese sire Deep Impact, a great sire of classic horses and stayers and dam Omei Sword a fast G2 winning High Chaparral mare from by Fastnet Rock’s first ever G1 winner Irish Lights, who won the G1 MRC Thousand Guineas. Blue-blood of the field and good run last start has him in the mix.
11 FEARLESS KNIGHT (3c Lonhro x Typhoon Tess, Redoute’s Choice) – Maiden after eight starts and was last start fourth in G3 Caulfield Classic after a fourth in a Newcastle 1600m maiden.
Lonhro not really known as a sire of stayers although did get Aristia to win the VRC Oaks a few years ago and dam is a daughter of a very good racemare in Gallant Tess, who was by Galileo, but made her claim to fame as a sprinter miler. Not thinking the Derby is the right race to break his maiden.
12 BERARDINO (3c Real Impact (Jpn) x Roseito, by Snitzel) – Another maiden after five starts, but was third in the Listed Super Impose (1800m) and then fifth in the G2 Moonee Valley Vase.
By a son of Deep Impact, but Real Impact was a speedier son winning the G1 George Ryder Stakes. Dam is by Snitzel, who has never sired an Oaks or Derby winner, but she is a three-quarter sister to Howard Be Thy Name, who won a G1 SA Derby and traces back to Pencarrow Stud’s Richebourg family that produced Cups queen Ethereal. Can see why connections are hopeful, but he’d need to take a quantum leap.
13 DISTRUSTFUL AWARD (3g Shamus Award x Distrustful, by Trusting) – Four starts for one dominant win at Mildura over 2000m and last start third in G3 Caulfield Classic.
Shamus Award is an outstanding sire of fast stayers and while the female family is hardly steeped in staying blood it doesn’t need to be… look at Incentivise! His fourth dam is blue hen Lady Capel, who has left four stakes-winners headed by G1 winner Casino Prince and her grand-son Best of Bordeaux will contest the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes. The Shamus Award factor puts this guy in the mix as he’s had five G1 winners and all of them at distances of 2000m or more.
14 HIGHLAND BLAZE (3c Highland Reel (IRE) x Bells of Troy, by Clangalang) – Has had six starts, five of them in races of 2000m or longer and finally broke his maiden last start at Bairnsdale over 2200m.
From the first Australian crop of Galileo’s champion son Highland Reel, who was adept at 2400m and his dam won up to 2200m, so he can certainly stay, but class may be an issue.
15 KING'S CROSSING (NZ) (3g Almanzor (Fr) x Spiriting, by Montjeu (IRE) – Still a maiden after four starts and was dreadful when a long last in the Super Impose, but raced like a different horse when a close third in Geelong Classic.
Second runner in the race for Almanzor and this one from a 2000m winner by renowned staying sire Montjeu and he’s a half-brother to G3 Bendigo Cup winner Top of the Range. There might be two of him, but if the one that ran at Geelong turns up then he’s far from hopeless.
16 LEHNDORFF (3c Snitzel x Veruschka (GB), by Dubawi) – Only three starts and broke his maiden over 2000m at Kembla at latest run.
By Snitzel, who has never sired a classic winner, but dam is a European blueblood of the highest order being an unraced grand-daughter of a sister to Champion 3YO Filly Yesterday and Champion 2YO Filly Quarter Moon. First three dams by Dubawi, Sadler’s Wells and Darshaan say Derby, but maybe not this one.
17e ABERFELDIE BOY (3c So You think x Absolute Joy, by Zabeel ) – Maiden after three starts and after placing on synthetic tracks twice was a late closing fourth in Geelong Classic.
By a proven classic sire in So You Think and is a half-brother to G2 winner Castlereagh Kid and G1 placed Happy Hannah. He’s from winning Zabeel mare Absolute Joy, a half-sister to G1 winners Tuesday Joy and Sunday Joy, both 2400m winners, and daughter of Queensland Oaks winner Joie Denise. Put champion mare More Joyous on the page and you can see he has an elite pedigree that will probably one day earn him Black Type, so if he gets a run don’t dismiss.
SELECTIONS
1/ Mr Maestro
2/ Sharp ‘n’ Smart
3/ Berkeley Square
4/ Muramasa
Roughie
Foujita San
