Well another big race run
tomorrow. The Victoria Derby (Melbourne) is the second biggest Derby in Australia, behind the
Australian Derby (Sydney) which has a purse of around A$2.5 million. So this is fun! The
other big race on the card is the Mackinnon Stakes.
[b]Mackinnon
Stakes[/b]
Simply Heroic - Drifter’s Prince - Devil Dice
[b]Simply
Heroic[/b]
Champion 4YO stallion with good form this year. Six starts, with a
lone fourth being his worse placing. Has won two stakes this year on turf. He beat home Irish
Flyer in the GII Turnbull Stakes over 10F turf, third was Cutlass. He then won the GII Frank
E. Kilroe Mile, a GII over 7.5F turf, beating Irish Flyer and Wild Bidder. Form around Irish
Flyer is good with the horse doing well at the Dubai meeting. Simply Heroic’s last start was
a fourth behind King David, Twilight Embers and Chivalry over 10F turf in the GIII Coongy
Handicap. Has won an allowance over 9F on dirt. If he likes the surface he should get
home.
Drifter’s Prince
Grand Champion 5YO gelding who has
good form on dirt this year. Second start this year he was third behind Secretsarebound and
Spellbound in the 8F GII Chelmsford Stakes. His only other dirt start was his last start in
the 10F GI Caulfield Stakes where he finished third behind Secretsarebound and Count Me In,
both being very good horses. Seems to prefer dirt and also enjoys this distance. Won the
Breeders’ Cup Mile as a 3YO and a GII on dirt last year. Will be in the
finish.
Devil Dice
Champion 4YO stallion who found a little
bit of form when he won the ungraded Santa Paula Stakes last start over 10F on dirt. However,
it wasn’t really a spectacular field, he finished in front of Irish Lady and Mississippi.
First five starts of this year didn’t really show anything so it’s hard to take his last
start win very seriously here. Place chance at best.
Not the greatest field in that one…
Bit of a shame seeing as it is quite a respected race over here. Maybe Shanthi can perk it up
with a nice Final Furlong entry or two… 
[b]Victoria
Derby[/b]
What’s Your Point - Prince Of Wonder -
Chivalry
What’s Your Point
Champion 3YO colt with a solid
lines. Has shown solid form this year with two wins and a third from three starts. First up
he won the GIII HDF McNeil Stakes over 5.5F from Jazz Singer and Apollo. He then won the GIII
Caulfield Guineas Prelude over 7F from Apollo and A.P. Exectutive. Last start he ran a solid
third in the GI Toorak Handicap over 8F behind I’m Your Angel and Crystal Rainbow. Only
query is will he get to 12.5F as he has no form over the distance, but his lines suggest he
should get there - he’s a relative to Cox Plate winner Witness. Great chance in this and
looks like he should continue to improve his great record.
[b]Prince Of
Wonder[/b]
Champion 3YO colt also with solid lines being a 3/4 brother to
Townsend Jester. Has shown good form this year with his record being 8(8)-2(2)-0-2(2)-4(4).
Won first up over 8F in the GIII Appleton Handicap beating fellow Derby contender Crown
Jewels and Dubai winner Gotta Go. His other win this year was in the 8.5F ungraded Dave
Feldman Stakes where he beat Hollywood Magic and Associated Press. Has good form around
horses such as Foolhardy, Witness, Duplicate Copy and Crystal Rainbow. Last start he ran
12.5F in the GII Moonee Valley Gold Cup finishing fourth behind class runners Crystal
Rainbow, Miracle In Black and Long Shot. Strong chance who should run the
trip.
Chivalry
Champion 3YO colt from top stable and by
leading sire What’s It Worth. Good form coming into this, he’s raced seven times this year,
his worst finish being one fourth. Last start he went out in the 10F GIII Coongy Handicap and
finished third behind King David and Twilight Embers. Prior to that run he was third in the
6.5F GIII Baldwin Stakes behind Black Warrior and Domestic Dispute. Three starts back he ran
a second to Count Me In and in front of Prince Of Wonder in the 7F GII Stan Fox Stakes. His
only win for the year came in the 6F GIII C.S. Hayes Stakes when he beat Strike Your Fancy
and Lasting Glory. Seems more a sprinting type who may lead early on, but it is hard to see
him winning over 12.5F. Place chance.
This is a much more solid field for a GI… I think
it is the biggest GI for turf 3YO’s yet so it should be a good pointer for the upcoming
English and Irish Triple Crowns.
Well,
good luck everyone, hopefully we all have a nice result or two!