2024 Victoria Derby Day Tips & Preview

Acta Non Verba was fast into stride over the mile at Caulfield a couple of weeks ago, leading his rivals into the straight before being gunned down by a smart horse in Treasurethe Moment.  

Danny O’Brien’s colt saw out the trip nicely and was brave all the way to the line, a huge effort in what was a slowly run race third-up from a spell.  

The son of Blue Point won his maiden by two lengths over King Of Enterprise the start prior at Cranbourne, that same horse going on to win his next start at Pakenham quite well.  

Drawn slightly better with Damian Lane back in the saddle, this looks another winnable assignment for the pair if they can park on speed and dictate up front. 

The gate is against her in The Vanity field, but keen to give I Am Velvet another look coming off a complete forgive run at Caulfield last start.  

Phillip Stokes’ mare was held up for a run along the rail, getting out late and punching clear to be defeated by just over a length by Kuroyanagi in a fast dash to the line.  

A daughter to I Am Immortal, this smart three-year-old put together a hat-trick of wins when inning the Vobis Gold Inglot the start prior, and I’m unsure if the step back to 1200m last start was a positive.  

Back up in distance with Daniel Stackhouse still in the saddle, she just needs luck early in the run to play a part.  

Rey Magnerio ticks a few important boxes third-up.  

The five-year-old by Magnus went down by the narrowest of margins two weeks ago in the Caulfield Sprint, timing his run to perfection to finish within a nose of Estriella down the outside.  

Jye McNeil said afterwards that his ride was slow to begin and held up badly around the 400m mark, forced to shift out wide sooner than he wanted.  

His final 200m sectional ranked as the fastest of the meeting, so good luck beating him with some of his best performances coming here at Headquarters in the past.  

This is the perfect setup for Another Wil to remind everyone what he’s all about.  

Ciaron Maher’s gelding by Street Boss disappointed for a run in the Toorak Handicap three weeks ago, taken forward at short odds under Michael Dee and fading late to finish nearly 10 lengths off Antino. 

The speed and the tactics were completely against him that day, Dee admitting after the race that he never intended to lead in the early stages. 

Jamie Kah gets a crack in the saddle now, the pair combining to win on five occasions in the past.  

Jimmystar will be very hard to beat in the late stages, but if the pair make use of the low gate and settle off the speed early, they should be launching late with the step back in distance working in their favour in The Damien Oliver. 

Jenni’s Meadow went around at a big price in the Ethereal Stakes two weeks ago at Caulfield, running on late for second in the end after giving the favourite Too Darn Discreet a real scare all the way to the judge.  

The Hayes-trained filly came into contact with the rail approaching the turn and was forced to run on wide after tracking the speed into the straight, a couple of moves that may have cost her a stride or two when it counted.  

Even so, she’s a Group 3 place-getter in her own right that now presents rock-hard fit with three runs under her belt.  

With a feel for 2000m now, she looks well placed to go one better back on her home track with the blinkers back on in the Wakeful Stakes. 

Lady Of Camelot ran an eye-catching race off a decent six-week break in The Everest last start.  

The Golden Slipper winner was facing the breeze in transit and forced to check across heels at the top of the straight, only seen doing her best work late for fourth in a blanket finish behind Bella Nipotina. 

She returns to Melbourne and is racing down the Flemington straight for the first time, but keep in mind she has improvement still to come off less of a turnaround between starts.  

Drawn well, in carrying just 55kg, and back on a dry track, she’ll do me in a race that presents a handful of chances.  

Red Aces was first past the post last Saturday in the Moonee Valley Vase, returning on the quick backup now for a crack at 2500m.  

The colt by Dundeel was quickly into stride out of the turn, exploding from midfield to fend off Opening Address in a good go for the line.  

He was a little wayward at the top of the straight but responded nicely, leaving further scope for improvement with only three runs under his belt this prep.  

Keep in mind that was a slow race, but if he gets back again from the soft gate and handles the extra distance, he’ll be right in the mix. 

Orchestral is third-up off a forgive run in the Toorak last start in her return to Australia.  

After contesting a 1400m race at Ellerslie fresh, the daughter of Savabeel went around at double-figure odds at Caulfield, taken back early under Daniel Stackhouse and forced to shift away from the rail when she was held up down the straight.  

Once clear, I thought she was seen running on strongly through the line to finish sixth, a decent piece of work in her second run back since the autumn.  

Already a Group 1 winner, she needs luck to go her way from a wide gate, but she is in safe hands under James McDonald. 

Back against her own sex, she’ll be running a solid race providing she isn’t wanting further.  

Kundalini worked into the clear nicely in the Plume Stakes at Caulfield last start and is unlikely to find this much tougher. 

This is a wide-open race with a few smart sprinters involved, but this mare by I Am Invincible clearly has an electric turn of foot – as we saw two back when she put away A Little Deep and Revolutionary Miss by half a length.  

She’s hard fit with four runs to her name and gets Michael Dee operating again, finally from an inside gate. 

In a tough race to end the day, I think she can run a nice race with a bit of fitness on her side.