Victorian trainer Pat Carey has rolled the dice and sent Queensland Derby hopeful Spur On Gold north despite the gelding not being assured a start in the Classic.

Spur On Gold left for Queensland on Thursday night and Carey said the last-start Caulfield runner-up had arrived in good order.

"He's 22 in the order of entry which makes it awkward for him but we've bitten the bullet and taken him there on the hope that his opportunity comes," Carey said.

Five of the horses above him in the most recent ballot order are fillies which raced in Saturday's Oaks and are unlikely to back up a week later.

The Derby field is limited to 16.

Spur On Gold charged home from back in the field at Caulfield over 2000m to be beaten a head by Unfurl.

At his previous outing he hit the line hard for fourth to Master Of Arts which Carey believes is good form for the Derby.

The Darren Weir-trained Master Of Arts was an eye-catching third at Doomben in the Grand Prix Stakes, the traditional Derby lead-up.

Master Of Arts earned Derby favouritism with that performance but has been displaced by Queensland Oaks winner Winx and Eagle Farm Cup winner Werther.

Winx is an unlikely Derby starter.

Spur On Gold is at $15 and Carey has booked Michael Cahill to ride.

"Providing he gets a run and he handles the other way of going OK, you would think he would be a chance," Carey said.

"We've done a lot of work with him at home over a long period of time the reverse way and you would think that if ever a track would trick a horse the reverse way, it would be Mornington.

"And he's handled himself very well."

The trainer has won an Australian Derby with Ethiopia in 2012 and two Oaks with Gondokoro (Qld Oaks 2013) and Arapaho Miss (VRC Oaks 2007).