Established in 1855 and won by Rose of May, the Victoria Derby is one of several highlights on the Saturday before the Melbourne Cup.

A test for young 3yo colts and geldings, it’s a race won by some of the greats of Australian Racing: Poseidon, Manfred, Phar Lap, Tulloch, Comic Court, Tobin Bronze, Taj Rossi, Dulcify, Red Anchor, Mahogany and Efficient, who returned a year later to win the 2007 Melbourne Cup.

Skipton in 1941 is the last 3yo to win the Cup and do the Derby/Cup double!

This year’s capacity field brings together an assortment of pedigrees, from sons of Pierro and All Too Hard to stallions more aligned with staying types – High Chaparral, Reliable Man, Savabeel, Tavistock and even Street Cry. Medaglia d’Oro, Hinchinbrook and Snitzel have a runner apiece and Cox Plate winner Ocean Park has two NZ bred sons. (As Caulfield Cup winner Boom Time demonstrated two weeks ago sprinting sires can produce a winner over a trip!) 

Little known sire Mettre en Jeu – a son of Montjeu was a Listed winner in NZ and a runner-up in the G1 NZ Derby, he has one representative as well! There are some interesting female families as well - take a read!

1. ACE HIGH (C) (HIGH CHAPARRAL x Come Sunday [REDOUTE’S CHOICE])

*Bred by Bruce Reid Racing, ACE HIGH was offered by Bell River Thoroughbreds at the 2016 MM Sale, trainer David Payne purchased him for $130,000

*Raced by John Cordina of Summertime Chickens – who bred and stands ROCK HERO from his top class mare GALLANT TESS, both raced in the same colours of ACE HIGH

*ACE HIGH’S Spring Champion win marked the 19th individual G1 success for the ill-fated HIGH CHAPARRAL

*HIGH CHAPARRAL’S other Spring Champion winners MONACO CONSUL and DUNDEEL both went on to claim a Derby (VRC and ATC respectively)

*Dam is a 1/2 sister to KNEELING and THAT’S A GOOD IDEA

*Come Sunday died in October last year, only two days after foaling a colt by HALLOWED CROWN – she also has a 2yo filly by HIGH CHAPARRAL that was sent to NZ in June 2016

*2nd dam Sunday Service was LR placed and is by American turned Japenese super-sire - SUNDAY SILENCE

*3rd dam 2x LR winner in South Africa LADY’S DELIGHT, dam of EXPRESS POWER

*ACE HIGH'S pedigree brings together some of the best stallions of the modern era - SADLER'S WELLS, DANEHILL, REDOUTE'S CHOICE, SUNDAY SILENCE and HIGH CHAPARRAL

(Ace High as a yearling)

2. TANGLED (C) (SNITZEL x BRAMBLE ROSE [SHINKO KING (IRE)])

*Offered by Newgate Farm at 2016 Inglis Easter Sale, knocked down to Chris Waller racing for $310,000

*3/4 brother to LR winner MAULES CREEK, 1/2 brother LR winner in Singapore SEBROSE

*Dam BRAMBLE ROSE won G1 NZ Oaks, 2nd G1 Arrowfield Stud Stakes, she’s a 1/2 sister to LADY CHAPARRAL

*BRAMBLE ROSE is now an 18yo, her last foal was the filly Flaming Rose by PIERRO (2015)

*Family of NZ G1 winner THE FILBERT and RED HAWK

(Tangled as a yearling)

3. ASTORIA (C) (MEDAGLIA D’ORO x Segue [AD VALOREM (USA)])

*First foal for dam Segue – who’s since produced Caesura, a filly by EXCEED AND EXCEL, a 2016 filly by LONHRO and was covered by MEDAGLIA D’ORO again last season

*Dam 1/2 sister multiple G1 winner VISCOUNT and HELSINBORG

*2nd dam ANTWERP (NZ) was a QLD LR winner – a full sister to TRISTALOVE (dam of VIKING RULER, KEMPINSKY, LOVETRISTA, LOVETRISTA, DIAMOND LIKE), plus a 3/4 sister to DON EDUARDO, PERUZZI (dam of LUCIDA)

*3rd dam DIAMOND LOVER – G1 Railway Stakes winner

*4th dam is the Blue Hen producer Eight Carat – dam of OCTAGONAL, KAAPSTAD and MOUAWAD and matriarch of a female family that includes the likes of DANEWIN, COMMANDS, LISTEN HERE, DEEP FIELD, SHOOTING TO WIN…  

(Astoria)

4. Eshtiraak (C) (STREET CRY x Succeeding [FLYING SPUR])

*1/2 sis DELAGO DELUXE – champion 2yo colt in South Africa in 2010/11 – won G1 Golden Horse and G1 Gold Medallion, now sire at Newhaven Park

*Dam 1/2 sis DUPORTH, EXCITES, TICKETS – all sires

*2nd dam STAGING was a multiple G2 and G3 winner and placed in several G1 races, mostly in QLD

*Family of DASHING IMAGE and CALIENTE

*Succeeding missed to Vancouver last season but recent foals include a 2016 colt by SEPOY and a 2015 filly by MEDAGLIA D’ORO

(Eshtiraak)

5. MAIN STAGE (NZ) (G) (RELIABLE MAN (GB) x KIRI [PRIZED (USA)])

*Bought for $150,000 by Patella Bloodstock/Busuttin Racing at Ready To Run Sale of 2yos for Kilmore Farm

*First Australian stakes winner for RELIABLE MAN

*Dam was dual LR winner, she’s had 3 named foals, all are winners

*Dam was sold at the NZb National Weanling, Broodmare and Mixed B’stock Sale for $22,500 to breeder Tim Harrison – prior to MAIN STAGE winning LR UCI Stakes

*Family of SKOOZI (PLEASE), BURNING SANDS, JERAM NEW VILLAGE

(Main Stage as a yearling)

 6. Sully (NZ) (G) (RELIABLE MAN x Lady Winifred [CASUAL LIES (USA])

*Another Derby runner by RELIABLE MAN

*Sully is named after Chesley Burnett “Sully” Sullenberger III or “Captain Sully” – the pilot who successfully landed his stricken Airbus A320 in the Hudson River in New York, 2009 – as he was a “reliable man”

*Sold for $36,000 to BD Racing at the 2016 NZB Select Yearling Sale from draft of Wentwood Grange

*1/2 bro to stakes performed Deedee Panache

*Family of ROMEO GEORGE

*Dam has produced 5 named foals, three to race – all winners

(Sully)

7. WEATHER WITH YOU (G) (TEOFILO x Tarique [ROCK OF GIBRALTAR (IRE)])

*Purchased by co-trainer Andrew Forsman at the 2016 MM Sale for $27,000 from the Sun Stud draft

*4th foal for the dam – she was herself sold to Pocket Lodge for $130,000 at the 2012 Inglis Easter Broodmare Sale

*Dam is a 1/2 sister to consistent stayer and G1 Metropolitan runner-up PASTA EXPRESS and STELLA MAREE

*Dam was has recently had a 2015 filly by LOVE CONQUERS ALL and a 2016 colt by the same sire, she was then covered again by LQA last season

(Weather With You)

8. Aberro (C) (ALL TOO HARD x Secret Cause [GIANT’S CAUSEWAY (USA)])

*Not offered for sale

*3/4 brother G1 SA Derby winner ESCADO (CASINO PRINCE), 1/2 brother SE SAUVER

*Dam 1/2 sis PLEASANT SECRET – Stakes winner in South America

*Secret Cause foaled a colt by PRIDE OF DUBAI 8/9/17, prior to that ABERRO was her most recent live foal

*2nd dam Secret Truth (CAN) by SECRETARIAT is an unraced 3/4 sister to HOUSBOUND, 1/2 sister SHELL GINGER, YEOMAN’S POINT

*3rd dam TRULY BOUND multiple stakes winner in USA

*Family of TESTA SECRET, COMANDANTE DODGE, PUMPKIN RUMBLE, MORE ADMIRAL

(Aberro)

9. Pissaro (C) (PIERRO x Sirani [GALILEO (IRE)])

*$410,000 yearling bought by Ray & Susan Montague at the 2016 MM Sale from Sledmere Stud draft

*Dam 1/2 sis BLACK MAMBA (dam of Aus Derby winner and Caulfield Cup runner-up  ROMAN EMPEROR and RIOS)

*2nd dam SNEETCH (NZ) G3 winner in NZ, 3rd G1 NZ Oaks

*Family of FLEUR DE CHINE, TULLY THUNDER, SUFFICIENT, TIE ME DOWN, IRISH LOVE, GLORIOUS DAYS

*4x3 cross SADLER’S WELLS

(Pissaro as a yearling)

10. Justice Faith (C) (HINCHINBROOK x Testagame [TESTA ROSSA])

*Passed in as a weanling at the Great Southern Sale, and then again at the Inglis Ready 2 Race Sale – sold for $42,500 at the Inglis Premier Sale in Session 2

*Dam has had 4 named foals, all raced, 3 winners – covered by NIGHT OF THUNDER last season

*2nd dam LISA’S GAME was a Cranbourne Cup winner and finished a nose 2nd to SKY HEIGHTS in the 1999 G1 Caulfield Cup

(Justice Faith as a yearling)

11. Ocean’s Fourteen (NZ) (C) (OCEAN PARK x RUUD VAN SLAATS [VAN NISTELROOY (USA)])

*Offered by Trelawney Stud (NZ’S oldest commercial horse stud) at the 2016 NZB Premier Sale, sold to Ciaron Maher Racing for $325,000

*By W.S. Cox Plate winner OCEAN PARK

*1/2 bro stakes placed Savvan & Smashing

*Dam won 2 G2 races in NZ and was G1 placed

*Family of CHESTER COUNTY, RUUD AWAKENING

(Ocean's Fourteen as a yearling)

12. Greycliffe (NZ) (C) (TAVISTOCK X Tristraad (NZ) [VOLKSRAAD (GB)])

*Offered by Lyndhurst Farm at 2016 NZB Premier Sale – bought by Phill Cataldo B’stock for $250,000

*Dam 1/2 sister GIOVANA, champion older stayer in NZ 2001-02, 4x G1 winner

*Dam has had 9 named foals, 8 to race, 6 winners

*3rd dam TRISTINA G1 QLD Derby winner – dam of SKY DANZA

(Greycliffe as a yearling)

13. Johnny Vinko (NZ) (G) (SAVABEEL x Brazen (NZ) [O’REILLY (NZ)])

*Sold at the NZB Premier Sale for 210,000 – sold again at the NZB Ready to Run of 2yos from Kilmore Farm for $240,000

*Sire SAVABEEL placed 2nd in 2004 Derby to PLASTERED after winning W.S. Cox Plate

*Dam is a 1/2 sister to G3 winner ZANETTA (dam of TITANIUM)

*2nd dam Zangla (FR) is a 1/2 sister to KEN DE SARON (dam of SAL GROSSO – champion 3yo colt in Brazil 2009-2010, HOTY in Brazil)

*Family of NORTHWEST STORM, LYREDE CASTELLI, ASTIMONTI, NANDOWRA

(Johnny Vinko as a yearling)

14. Nothing Too Hard (G) (ALL TOO HARD x ASHLEY’S KITTY (USA) [TALE OF THE CAT (USA)])

*Offered by Kia-Ora Stud at the 2016 Inglis Premier Sale – sold to Paul Perry for $70,000

*Dam 3x stakes winner including a G3 in USA, she’s a 3/4 sister to HEART ASHLEY, 1/2 sister G1 Santa Anita Gold Cup winner CUPID and LR winner INDIANAPOLIS

*Family of HOSTESS multiple stakes winner in America

(Nothing Too Hard as a yearling)

15. Rockarral (G) (HIGH CHAPARRAL x Teardrop Rock (USA) [FASTNET ROCK])

*Dam stakes placed – and a 1/2 sister to Fusaichi Sun (LR placed)

*Dam was a Star Thoroughbreds galloper with Gai Waterhouse and was offered at the 2013 Inglis Easter Broodmare Sale – selling to Maneroo Pty Ltd in QLD (owners of SHOOT OUT) for $275,000

*Dam was covered by I AM INVINCIBLE last season, had a colt by ZOUSTAR in 2015

*Family of SYBEEL and CHAMOIX

(Rockarral and jockey Jamie Kah) 

(Rockarral's dam Teardrop Rock selling at the Inglis Easter Broodmare Sale)

16. Wolfe Tone (NZ) (C) (METTRE EN JEU x Ain’t All Trumps (NZ) [ZABEEL])

*A $16,000 buy for Mr FG Finnigan at 2016 NZB Festival Sale

*Sire is a son of MONTJEU

*Dam is by ZABEEL and a full sister to THE WARRIOR, winner of the G2 SAAB Hcp (Hotham Hcp) and unlucky not to finish closer in the 1999 Melbourne Cup

*Family of G2 Waikato Gold Cup winner KERRY O’REILLY, FIDDLERS FARE, DIETER JET, MAKATANI, SHOGUN and champion Brazilian Miler JOE OWEN

(Wolfe Tone)

17e. Beachwood (G) (OCEAN PARK (NZ) x Woodminco [WOODMAN (USA)])

*Offered at NZB National Weanling/Broodmare and Mixed Sale where he sold for $40,000 – Sold again for $75,000 at 2016 NZB Select Sale to Hyde Park Bloodstock

*Another one by OCEAN PARK

*1/2 bro LR winner RUSSIAN CONQUEST and stakes placed Bracken Ridge

*2nd dam stakes placed Audimco – a full sister to G1 Galaxy winner JETBALL, G3 Stan Fox winner MARWINA

*Family of INTO THE NIGHT

(Beachwood as a yearling)