Victoria Derby winner Ace High sits at the top of the final field for the 2018 Group 1 $2m Harrolds Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick on day one of The Championships on Saturday.
Ace High, above, heads up the final field for the 2018 Australian Derby at Randwick. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Regular rider Tye Angland takes the mount again on the David Payne trained Ace High who was a last start sixth to D’Argento in the Group 1 $600,000 Sky Racing Rosehill Guineas (2000m) at Rosehill on March 24.
The final field of eighteen three-years-olds plus two emergencies was released by the Australian Turf Club this morning with the Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards trainer Mongolianconqueror one of six Kiwis among the final acceptors.
Co-trainer Jamie Richards said that Mongolianconqueror would be at his best on a good rated track and he was happy with the way he went through his paces at the ‘Breakfast With The Stars’ at Randwick this morning.
“He wasn’t out there to do too much because he’s had a long campaign. He’s a top of the ground horse, he doesn’t have the brilliance that Gingernuts has but he stick to the task well,” Richards told Racing New South Wales News Desk.
“His form at home is better on top of the ground so the forecast suits us. He’ll go to the beach in the morning, he might do a bit of three-quarter on Thursday.’’
Opie Bosson is back aboard Mongolianconqueror after riding the gelding last start when eighth to D’Argento in the Rosehill Guineas.
At his previous start Mongolianconqueror proved that he could run the Australian Derby distance of 2400m after finishing a nose second to the Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman trained Vin De Dance in the Group 1 NZ$1m NZ Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie in New Zealand on March 3.
Vin De Dance is one of four three-year-olds that Baker and Forsman will saddle up in the Australian Derby, and will be joined by Weather With You, Mission Hill and Mongolian Marshall.
Ruakaka trainer Chris Gibbs will saddle up the Savabeel gelding Endowment who is coming off a last start sixteenth to D’Argento in the Rosehill Guineas.
The Peter Gelagotis trained Levendi and James Cummings’ Astoria are both in the final field for the Australian Derby and will clash again after finishing first and second in last Saturday’s Group 2 $200,000 Tricolours Racing & Syndications Tulloch Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill.
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