It's Derby Day!!

It’s Derby Day at Randwick and we are so very excited to be cheering on a major contender in the big event with Plymouth one of the leading chances in the $2 million Classic.

Mark Zahra was aboard the son of The Autumn Sun when he was such an unlucky fourth in the Gr.1 Rosehill Guineas and he again takes the ride with that bit of knowledge of the horse bound to prove beneficial.

Not having quite enough room at the time he was getting ready to move into the race, Plymouth did a great job finishing hard on the heels of the placegetters in the Guineas won by the talented Broadsiding.

It was a similar story for Plymouth in the Australian Guineas in which he was a close up fifth and if a change of luck was to come today we’d be very grateful!

“He is in great order, he worked well on Tuesday, he has been nice and bright all week,” Glen reported.

“Mark was very happy with him last start and we think he is going to run very well. The favourite is obviously the one to beat but our horse is in great shape, he is going to relish the trip and we are really looking forward to seeing how he goes.”

Ballymore’s Monaco Consul was a close up third (part of an all High Chaparral trifecta) in the 2010 Derby and like that horse, Plymouth has the right sort of pedigree. His dam sire Dundeel won the race in 2013 and he hails from the same family as the great Zabeel, sire of four ATC Derby winners.

Meanwhile closer to home we will be kept busy at Caulfield with four nice horses heading across town.

The first of our runners at that track is the lightly raced and promising mare Pink Chandon who is one of the favourites in the third event, the Bill Collins Handicap.

It’s a tricky gate (15) for the daughter of Pierro but she does tend to get back anyway - and she has a terrific turn of foot as shown by how she flew home from the rear when third behind the talented Zloties at Sandown last time out.

That was only her second run for the campaign and she is nicely primed for a step up to the mile.

Jye McNeil has already won on Pink Chandon and again takes the ride.

“She worked extremely well on Tuesday morning and she heads to the races in great order. The barrier makes it a bit tricky, we probably just have to leave it to Jye to see if she can get into a decent spot - she is a horse who goes better when ridden a bit quietly.”

“With any luck in running she should prove hard to beat, she is going as well as we can have her.”

The Bert Bryant Handicap is the sixth race of the day and we saddle up Burlington Gate who has been racing in consistent form.

By the same sire - The Autumn Sun - as Plymouth, he ran on nicely over 1800m at Sandown last start, that race dominated by those closer to the pace.

Returning to the 2000m on Saturday, a distance at which he recorded a big win at Pakenham two starts ago, is going to suit the four-year-old who has Declan Bates riding - noting that he has been in the placings both times that jockey has been aboard.

“This looks a nice race for her, the rail being out may make it tricky for her as she gets back but she should be hitting the line strongly. With a little bit of luck in running she can be right in the finish,” Glen said.

Another race named after a Caulfield legend is the Geoff Murphy Handicap in which Certain Rise is one of the favourites.

And justifiably so, the talented daughter of Champion Sire Written Tycoon down in class having run very nice races in feature events at her two runs this time in.

A Listed winner third up last campaign, Certain Rise had Declan Bates aboard when she won a recent jump-out at Flemington and he takes the ride from another outside gate (10) - she has not been having much luck with the barrier draws of late!

“We were undecided whether to run from the wide gate but the three main dangers have come out. The barrier is not ideal but it just looks the right race for her and if things work out for her she should prove hard to beat.”

Falcon Of Malta is the last of our four Caulfield runners, the talented five-year-old resuming in the final race, the Robert Taranto Handicap.

Drawn nicely in barrier 4 with Declan Bates on, the son of Fiorente is having his first run since last winter and whilst he is at his best over a bit more ground, he is capable of running well fresh over the 1400m.

Boasting a good strike rate having won four of his 12 starts (finishing runner-up on another four occasions) Falcon Of Malta has been pleasing up since his return.

“He is in good shape and he has worked well this week,” Glen said.

“He is first up from a long break so obviously there is plenty of improvement there but from a good gate (4) he should be able to get into a good position.”

Falcon Of Malta boasts an interesting pedigree with his Melbourne Cup winning sire and his dam Kariya hailing from the same family - giving him a 4 X 4 cross of his own fourth dam, the Gr.1 Yorkshire Oaks winner Hellenic whose multiple Gr.1 winning daughter Islington is Kariyna’s grandam.

We also have a runner at Kilmore where Heat Of The Night looks hard to beat in the third race, a 1450m maiden.

Tom Madden has the ride on the Toronado filly who strips fitter for two solid performances back from a spell.

“This looks a really nice race for her, a little bit of a tricky gate (7) but hopefully she can roll forward and be in the first four or five. The favourite is definitely the horse to beat but our horse is going really well and she is getting out to a trip that is going to suit her better; she should go pretty close.”