Dual Group 1’s highlight the program on Derby Day this Saturday at Eagle Farm.
The $1 million Kingsford Smith Cup is the first on the nine-race card, this year’s 1300m feature attracting Doomben 10,000 trifecta Bella Nipotina, I Wish I Win, and Espiona in one of the most wide-open editions we’ve seen in recent years.
Peter Moody could potentially make it a Group 1 double with Autumn Angel in the Queensland Derby, but the Australian Oaks winner will need to produce her best with last-start 2400m winner Tannhauser also lining up.
A bumper day of racing awaits in Brisbane, and we’ve run the rule over the entire Derby Day program below.
Poison Chalice hit the line hard on return at Flemington two weeks ago in the Listed Straight Six race to just miss out on a place.
The four-year-old son of Savabeel came charging from a long way back to finish within two lengths of Who Dares, a solid return from Paul Preusker’s gelding after capping off his spring with a win at Morphettville.
The gate leaves Michael Dee with work to do, but proven over further and capable of showing early speed, this looks a nice race coming back to BM85 level.
Madame Odette resumes for Tony Gollan with a solid first-up record featuring one win and a place from three attempts.
This four-year-old daughter of Churchill was placed at Stakes level as a three-year-old last year and was incredibly genuine when finding the money in three of her four attempts over the summer.
Her recent trial win really caught the eye, while her form around the likes of Princess Rhaenys also reads nicely.
Alegron only warmed to the task late over 2000m in the Chairman’s Handicap two weeks ago under James Orman.
The pair were seen charging home strongly down the outside to finish midfield, a run that suggested this five-year-old by Teofilo might be suited over longer in his third run back.
Bjorn Baker’s gelding has placed just once from three attempts over this trip, but does draw to get a much kinder run in transit this time after being forced to make up ground from out wide last time out.
Set to peak and capable of showing late speed, he looks well-placed to run a big race at good odds.
Adelaide River is on debut for Kris Lees having his first run since winning the Kilternan Stakes at Leopardstown back in September.
Before that, the son of multiple Group 1 winner Australia went within a length of denying the fast-finishing Feed The Flame a win in the Prix De Paris at Longchamp – leading out of the turn before getting the wobbles over his final few strides.
Previously with Aidan O’Brien, this smart four-year-old tends to race well fresh and is more than capable of handling the 1800m trip on return.
El Morzillo comes out of the Spirit Of Boom Classic a fortnight ago in which she ran second to Saturday’s rival Bittercreek over 1200m.
The Star Witness filly let rip with a typically strong turn of foot down the outside, her late splits suggesting she’ll eat up the rise to 1400m now for the first time.
Excuses were offered from awkward barriers in previous runs, and she now meets Bittercreek 2kg’s better off at the weights.
Craig Williams retaining the ride is a huge plus, and if the pair are in the right spot coming off the speed at the top of the straight, they should prove difficult to hold out.
Corniche took a while to wind up off a four-week break on the Sunshine Coast a fortnight ago, finishing strongly down the middle to run down Cifrado in his final few strides.
The Godolphin three-year-old hit a bit of a flat spot around the 300m mark but really picked up nicely thanks to a patient steer from James McDonald out wide.
Looking back, his effort to run third behind Schwarz at Rosehill really stands out on paper, a horse he now meets equal at the weights.
On a drying track with Craig Williams booked to ride, the only knock here is the unknown over 1400m for the first time.
He’s making a habit of just finding one or two better, but with the Doomben 10,000 run under his belt now, I Wish I Win does look incredibly hard to beat.
Peter Moody had this boy firing off a five-week break in the 10,000, looming the winner once he broke clear along the inside, only to be denied by the brilliant Bella Nipotina.
He’ll need to improve off that run with Ciaron Maher’s mare lining up right alongside in barrier 2, but out slightly in trip and likely to find the track conditions more suitable, I’m finding it hard to bet against him.
Happy to stick with Autumn Angel in what could turn out to be a Moody Group 1 double.
Sent around as the short-priced favourite in the Rough Habit two weeks ago, this smart filly by The Auturmn Sun was all class to the line, simply failing to match the late speed of Tannhauser out wide.
Her previous win in the Australian Oaks was something special, storming home from near last to win with real authority over 2400m for the very first time.
Back out in trip, she just needs room from the inside gate to let her turn of foot do most of the talking.
The lack of a trial is a concern, but leaning the way of Coeur Volante in a tricky race to wrap things up.
Michael Moroney has had this filly revved up to win first-up in the past, as we saw at The Valley last year where she came out and won a Group 3 quite convincingly.
That victory was backed up with a win in the Group 2 Tranquil Star, a solid form race that has produced a handful of winners since.
Blake Shinn sticks in the irons and with wins over further, 1200m off a break shouldn’t pose a huge issue.