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Group 1 Victoria Derby Preview 2024

One of Australia’s oldest races sees a full field for the Victoria Derby.

Racecourse : Flemington
Racecourse : Flemington Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

A full field and a very interesting field for the Derby. The Melbourne lead up races have been run at very slow tempos and it's been difficult to get a gauge on who will be the ones improving out to 2500m.

El Castello comes here as clearly the highest rated horse at 110 on the R&S scale- some six pounds clear off the next best. His win last week in the Spring Champion was good and he's done nothing to suggest 2500m will be a problem.

The barrier is tricky though- the Flemington 2500m is a tough start for those drawn wide as they run straight into a bend. We've also seen plenty of higher rated Spring Champion horses come to the Derby and fail.

Picking through the Super Impose, Caulfield Classic, MV Vase and Geelong Classic is tough given the aforementioned slow tempos. In particular, the Caulfield Classic was an absolute farce.

I thought Scary was a good run in the Super Impose when strongest late behind Keeneland when backed into $4, and can wipe the Caulfield run. I think he'll be much more positive out to 2500m and should stay the trip strongly.

From Geelong, the winner Saint Emilion has to come here as a strong chance. He'll need to improve his rating but won that with a good turn of foot and the Maher stable have to be respected.

The market support for Oxford Blue there was very strong and I think he was just outsprinted. He's another that will relish a proper test.

The Moonee Valley Vase was another slowly run race (although anything would look slow compared to Via Sistina). There looks very little between that form and the Geelong & Caulfield lead ups, and while the quick backup can suit, I don't think the likes of Red Aces or King Of Thunder are much better chances than a few longer in the market.

I couldn't back anything in this race at single figures- it's too open and there isn't enough true form to go off which is where things get interesting.

I liked the run of Scary at Flemington and can easily wipe last start. He's now $41 which seems worth a gamble. The other one I'll back is Oxford Blue at $26. The market loved him at Geelong and I think he too wants a proper staying test which he hasn't really seen.


Victoria Derby 2024

Value play: #13 Scary at $41
Also backing: #14 Oxford Blue at $34


Racing and Sports



Flemington Saturday, 02nd November 2024

1m4f94y TURF GOOD
AUD $2,000,000

Penfolds Victoria Derby (G1)

AUD $2,000,000
Age: 3yo Type: OPEN
1m4f94y TURF GOOD
FP Silk Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
Trainer
SP
WT
1st 4. GOLDRUSH GURU (AUS) 3yo C
AMERICAN PHAROAH (USA) - GLAM GURU (AUS)
JAMIE KAH
ANDREW GLUYAS
$8
57kg
B H Perks, Ms A M Clough, G F Marriott, Mrs J A Marriott, B V White & Mrs K L White
2nd 13. SCARY (NZ) 3yo C
SHOCKING (AUS) - NEVER EVER (NZ)
LUKE NOLEN
EMMA-LEE & DAVID BROWNE
$41
57kg
B A Webb & Mrs G L Webb
3rd 11. CHINA SEA (AUS) 3yo G
FASTNET ROCK (AUS) - RIPPLED (GB)
MARK ZAHRA
J G SARGENT
$11
57kg
Berwickshire Bloodstock Pty Ltd (Mgr: S R Hume) & Rotring Pty Ltd (Mgr: R L Kirk)

Sales Information

4th 6. KINGOFWALLSTREET (AUS) 3yo C
DUNDEEL (NZ) - OUR GIRL RAQUIE (AUS)
MICHAEL DEE
MATT CUMANI
$17
57kg

Sales Information

5th 1. EL CASTELLO (AUS) 3yo C
CASTELVECCHIO (AUS) - WORD GAMES (AUS)
JOSH PARR
ANTHONY CUMMINGS
$3.75
57kg

Sales Information

6th 2. RED ACES (AUS) 3yo C
DUNDEEL (NZ) - CARDIAC (AUS)
JAMIE MOTT
NICK RYAN
$8
57kg

Sales Information

7th 8. KING OF THUNDER (NZ) 3yo G
TIVACI (AUS) - SHEEZABABE (NZ)
JAMES MCDONALD
JOHN O'SHEA & TOM CHARLTON
$6
57kg

Sales Information

8th 5. SAINT EMILION (AUS) 3yo C
SNITZEL (AUS) - KYLIKWONG (AUS)
TIM CLARK
CIARON MAHER
$21
57kg

Sales Information

9th 12. HOT TOO GO (AUS) 3yo C
TOO DARN HOT (GB) - GOGO GRACE (AUS)
JORDAN CHILDS
DANNY O'BRIEN
$61
57kg

Sales Information

10th 3. KEENELAND (NZ) 3yo G
ALMANZOR (FR) - SAVABEEL STAR (NZ)
HUGH BOWMAN
TRENT BUSUTTIN & NATALIE YOUNG
$11
57kg

Sales Information

11th 7. POLITELY DUN (AUS) 3yo G
DUNDEEL (NZ) - POLITENESS (AUS)
DAMIAN LANE
DANNY O'BRIEN
$11
57kg

Sales Information

12th 9. TENBURY WELLS (AUS) 3yo C
FASTNET ROCK (AUS) - DOWAGER QUEEN (NZ)
BLAKE SHINN
BRAD WIDDUP
$21
57kg

Sales Information

13th 15. WEST INDIES (NZ) 3yo G
FASTNET ROCK (AUS) - ANCHOVY (IRE)
CRAIG NEWITT
MARK WALKER
$151
57kg

Sales Information

14th 16. AUTUMNHEAT (AUS) 3yo G
TOO DARN HOT (GB) - AUTUMN (NZ)
EOIN WALSH
MATT CUMANI
$201
57kg

Sales Information

15th 10. PERU (AUS) 3yo G
BRAZEN BEAU (AUS) - SALAMATI (GER)
DECLAN BATES
MICHAEL MORONEY & GLEN THOMPSON
$101
57kg

Sales Information

16th 14. OXFORD BLUE (AUS) 3yo G
FIORENTE (IRE) - STOCKPIN (NZ)
ETHAN BROWN
JULIUS SANDHU
$51
57kg

Sales Information

today's racing

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