Australian Derby Pedigree Preview

The $2million Group I ATC Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick on Saturday has drawn a full field of 18 and with The Autumn Sun off enjoying a well earned break we have a very even field so a look at the pedigrees might be helpful for those planning a trifecta or two and hoping the long shots will come home.

1/ Extra Brut (3c Domesday x Dom Perion (Redoute's Choice) – Won the Victoria Derby in the spring before placed in in the Mackinnon Stakes against the older horses. Hasn't shown up in two runs so far this campaign.

No pedigree query here as he's proven at the trip and is actually the third Derby winner for his sire Domesday joining Ruthven and Arcadia Dream.

2/ Madison County (NZ) (3g Pins x Red Delicious (NZ) (No Excuse Needed (GB) ) – Won the NZ 2000 Guineas (1600m) in November then beat the older horses when resuming at Group I level in the Levin Classic (1600m). Stable have won this race three times in the last six years.

His sire Pins can get a stayer, but the female pedigree tends more to sprinter milers and traces back to Golden Slipper winner Courtza, which brings us to a big pedigree anomaly. Courtza is a full sister to Our Pompeii, who won two Adelaide Cups and a South Australian Derby…. The G1 genes in this family that make star racehorses can go either way in terms of distance it would seem!

3/ In A Twinkling (3g Fastnet Rock x Moment In Time (Archway (IRE)) – Has only won a maiden but did run a close second in the NZ Derby two starts ago.

By champion sire that has had his share of Derby and Oaks winners and dam is a stakes-winner to 2800 metres, so is bred to stay all day.

4/ Arrogant (NZ) (3c Ocean Park (NZ) x Charmeuse (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ)) – Only won the one race, a maiden (1600m), but did finish a head second in the Group II Waikato Guineas in NZ in February and found plenty of fans when only beaten a head in the Rosehill Guineas behind The Autumn Sun last start.

He's by Cox Plate winner Ocean Park, who is from the same Courtza, Our Pompeii family that we mentioned previously and his G1 genes fell sweetly into the middle distance spectrum! On the female side of Arrogant's pedigree we see plenty of European classic blood and that's probably what kept him kicking in the Rosehill Guineas when he made The Autumn Sun fight the fight of his life to win. That's winning form for this race.

5/ Chapada (3g Bullet Train (GB) x Diamantina Dior (Oasis Dream (GB)) – In the spring finished second in the Group II Caulfield Classic (1600m) before third in the Victoria Derby. Showed up last start at his third run this campaign when third to The Autumn Sun in the Rosehill Guineas.

Stayed well in the Victoria Derby and no reason to think he won't again given he's bred for the job. His sire is a much slower three-quarter brother to world champion Frankel and while his dam sire Oasis Dream is speed, further back it's all European staying blood and includes Capri, the Champion 3YO Stayer of 2017 and Melbourne Cup place-getter Bauer.

6/ Surely Sacred (NZ) (3g Rock 'n' Pop x Not Sure (NZ) (Masterclass (USA)) – New Zealand visitor and winner of the Group II Auckland Guineas (1600m) and Group II Avondale Guineas (2100m) and was fifth in NZ Derby (2400m). Had first Australian run when 4^th in the heavy going behind The Autumn Sun in the Rosehill Guineas last start.

By a G1 winning son of Fastnet Rock in Rock 'n' Pop, whose dam Popsy won the New Zealand Derby. Surely Sacred's dam is a half-sister to Tasmanian Derby winner Betwixt, the dam of Group I Queensland Oaks winner Provocative, so classic trip looks as though it will suit.

7/ Platinum Invador (NZ) (3g Redwood (GB) x Atomic Dancer (Danehill Dancer (IRE)) – Big effort when hitting the line strongly for third in the NZ Derby in early March and is a winner up to 2100m. Never fired in the heavy(10) conditions at first Australian start in the Group II Tulloch Stakes.

By High Chaparral's Group I winning son Redwood, a winner up to 2400m and dam's family goes back to some good European staying blood featuring plenty of tough Italian long distance stayers.

8/ Global Exchange (3c Dundeel (NZ) x Incredulous (Keep The Faith) – Six starts, four wins. Has won the Group II Autumn Classic (1800m) and Group II Alister Clark Stakes (2000m) at his last two starts.

By a young stallion being hailed as the new Zabeel and Dundeel did win this race in 2013, so it would be nice to see him sire the winner. Dam of Global Exchange only won at 1000m, but she is a grand-daughter of legendary sire Sunday Silence and while the family is mostly sprinter milers, So Si Bon does appear and he was second in a Rosehill Guineas and fourth in a Victoria Derby. A 4 x 4 double cross of Sir Tristram might help him see out 2400m at his first attempt.

9/ Stars Of Carrum (3c Fiorente (IRE) x Signoret (Anabaa (USA)) – Won the Group II Moonee Valley Vase in the spring before a strong finishing second in the Victoria Derby. Yet to place this preparation but did hit the line strongly from back and wide against older horses when 4^th in the Mornington Cup last start.

Bred to shine at long distances being by Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente and second and third dams are by two more Melbourne Cup winners in Jeune and At Talaq. Fit and ready to go at his ideal trip.

10/ Aramayo (3c Poet's Voice (GB) x Peruvian (GB) (Diktat (GB)) - Close second in the Group I Spring Champion Stakes in the spring before 3^rd in the Group II Moonee Valley Vase and started one of the favourites in the Victoria Derby but endured a tough run.

Half-brother to Tupac Amaru who was second in this race and his female family is packed with high class European stayers, so am expecting he'll stay the trip, but gate 19 might mean he gets no easier run than he had at Flemington. That said, Godolphin could saddle a broomstick to win a Group I at present so you have to respect.

11/ Angel Of Truth (3g Animal Kingdom (USA) x Scarletini (Bernardini (USA)) – Had produced some solid restricted provincial form before obviously relished the heavy ground winning the Group II Tulloch Stakes (2000m) last start when well backed.

His sire Animal Kingdom won two of the world's biggest races in Kentucky Derby and Dubai World Cup so was not lacking in class. Dam was a handy stayer up to 2400m and was fourth in the W Oaks. The interesting part of the pedigree is fifth dam Margarethen, an influential matriarch whose many star descendants include champions like Treve, Triptych, Moonlight Cloud, Epsom Derby winner Generous, Epsom Oaks winner Imagine and Caulfield Cup winner Tawqeet. Pedigree won't be holding back Angel of Truth.

12/ The Chosen One (3c Savabeel x The Glitzy One (Flying Spur) – NZ form was decidedly average for this type of race but did win the Group III Awapuni Classic (2000m) last start after failing in the NZ Derby prior. Stable has won this race three times in the last six years.

By champion NZ sire Savabeel and dam won up to 2500m and is a daughter of NZ Two Thousand Guineas winner The Jewel, who was second in a Queensland Oaks and New Zealand Oaks. 3 x 5 double cross of Sir Tristram may prove helpful when the tough get going.

13/ Cossetot (3g Epaulette x Ouachita (Canny Lad) – Won the Tasmanian Derby (2200m) four starts back and placed at each of three runs since at Group II level, the latest when third in the Tulloch Stakes in heavy ground.

He's a half-brother to Golden Slipper winner Kiamichi and his sire Epaulette was a sprinter that never won beyond 1400m, so on the score of pedigree you do wonder why he's here given first three dams are by Golden Slipper winners Canny Lad, Vain and Marscay. That said, trainers train horses not pedigrees and James Cummings knows what he's doing with sprinters and stayers. Perhaps the best thought on this is to reflect on Courtza and her full brother Our Pompeii mentioned twice previously in this story, makes us all realise thoroughbred breeding is a long way from being a science!

14/ Declarationofheart (3g Declaration Of War (USA) x Cardiac (Encosta De Lago) – Restricted winner but just missed in a brave effort last start when 2^ndin the Gr.2 Alister Clark Stakes (2040m).

Sire was a Group I winner up to 2000m and dam is a half-sister to Group I VRC Oaks winner Arapaho Miss, the dam of 3200m stakes-winner De Little Engine. Am thinking he may well find 2400m very much to his liking.

15/ Costello (3g Americain (USA) x La Famelia (Strategic) – Won a couple of restricted races before down the track in heavy ground last start in the Group I Rosehill Guineas.

Half-brother to Group II Reisling Stakes winner French Fern and dam is from a speed family featuring champion sprinter Schillaci and the ill-fated Group I winner Voodoo Lad. His staying hopes rest with his sire Americain, a memorable winner of the Melbourne Cup.

16/ Twinspier (NZ)(3g Savabeel x Impulsive Dream (Encosta De Lago ) – Has been honest in low grade Victorian provincial staying races but beaten over 12 lengths in the Group II Autumn Classic when tested at the higher level three starts back.

Another by champion sire Savabeel and comes from a top class European family, albeit one geared more towards sprinting with champion sire Invincible Spirit and local dual Group I winner Pride of Dubai the best known family members. Hard to see him winning.

17/ Shaman (3g Dalghar (FR) x Extra Celestial (Danehill Dancer (IRE)) – Easy provincial maiden winner over 2100m three runs back but found them too hot in the Tulloch Stakes last start in heavy ground.

Full brother to Group II winning miler Scott Base and comes from the family of Australian Group I winners Hotel Grand and Outback Prince. Sire Dalghar was sprinter miler, but he's a sibling to outstanding staying sires Daylami and Dalakhani, so Shaman can't really be potted on pedigree.

18/ Frankely Awesome (3f Frankel (GB) x Street Secret (USA) (Street Cry (IRE)) – Stepping up through the distances quickly and been impressive in strong finishing efforts at last two runs in the Group III Kembla Grange Classic (1600m) and Group I Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) last weekend.

Have to confess I've been half in love with this filly since she had her first start last year. She was a big raw beast of a girl back then and is really only now starting to come into her own. Pedigree wise, she's got it all in her favour being by world champion Frankel from a stakes-winning daughter of Winx's sire Street Cry in Street Secret, whose dam is a sibling to German G1 2400m winner Anzillero.

Look a little further back and that's when it gets really interesting as Frankely Awesome's fourth dam is Allegretta, and she's the dam of Arc winner and legendary blue hen Urban Sea, the dam of champion racehorses and sires Galileo and Sea the Stars. Has been scratched, but watch out for her next Saturday in the Oaks.

19E/ Yulong Tavion (3g Tavistock (NZ) x On Arrival (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ)) – won a maiden at Moe over 1600 m from five starts.

Form not encouraging, but pedigree is as Tavistock has already sired two Derby winners from daughters of Zabeel in Tarzino and Werther, while a third Tavago also has Zabeel on the page.

Tips

1^st Arrogant
2^nd Global Exchange
3^rd Chapada

Roughie Aramayo