Derby Aspirations for Karaka Graduates

Karaka graduates are poised to continue their derby success with Group 2 victories by Pre-Eminence and Down the Road on either side of the Tasman being used as springboards to the Group 1 AJC Derby and the Group 1 Telecom New Zealand Derby respectively.

Moonee Valley saw the return to the winners circle of Pre-Eminence (Encosta De Lago - Lady Silver Hawk, by Silver Hawk) with a thrilling rush down the outside to claim victory in the Group 2 MVRC Alister Clark Stakes.

It was the Mick Price-trained galloper's second run back from a spell after winning the Group 3 Norman Robinson Stakes and running third in the Group 1 VRC Derby during Melbourne's Spring Carnival.

Dominant in the finish, Pre Eminence scored victory by one and a quarter lengths from Eagle Falls (Hussonet), with a half-neck back to fellow Karaka graduate, the $1.3m priced Definitive (Redoute's Choice - Mascara Magic, by Citidancer) in third place.

Past winners of the Alister Clark Stakes have had their share of derby success with Zonda and Blevic both winning the race and going on to victories in the Group 1 New Zealand Derby and Group 1 Victorian Derby victories respectively. Other horses in the past 10 years to have won Group 1 races after taking the Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes include Casino Prince, Titanic Jack, Mr Murphy, Pins and Dignity Dancer.

Pre Eminence was a $320,000 purchase from Curraghmore Stud at the 2007 Karaka Premier Sale. A buy on spec by Mick Price, he later syndicated the gelding amongst current owners including the Plan B Syndicate, the Montage Syndicate, R and J Harding, L and P Bartle and F Capuzzi.

Pre Eminence is out of a three-quarter sister to multiple Group 1 winner Hawkster (Silver Hawk) and Group 3 winner Lady Hawk (Silver Hawk), herself the dam of outstanding Group 1 winning Japanese sprinter Black Hawk (Nureyev).

The son of Encosta De Lago will have his next start in the Group 2 Autumn Stakes at Caulfield on February 28 before heading to Sydney to build for the Group 1 AJC Derby (2400m) on April 11.

The richest race in New Zealand, the $2.2m New Zealand Derby is just under two weeks away and Down the Road (Danroad - Dixies Girl, by Stark South) signaled his aspirations with authority, downing thirteen NZ Derby contenders in the Group 2 ARC Championship Stakes (2100m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.

In the hands of Michael Coleman, Down the Road did everything so professionally, jumping well, settling beautifully fifth on the fence, and then responding to Coleman's urges in the last 200m where he gobbled up the ground to beat race leader The Meista (Montjeu) by a length.

The win reflected the biggest victory thus far for the Ken Kelso and Thomas Russell training partnership, but plans for bigger prizes are being hatched for the Group 1 NZ Derby, the Group 1 AJC Derby, and the Group 1 Queensland Derby come winter.

Ultimately the gelding will be transferred to Hong Kong by his owner Derek Wong who was convinced to race the bay in New Zealand by bloodstock agent Paul Beamish who acquired the son of Danroad as a Hong Kong Derby prospect.

Down the Road was purchased for $36,000 from the Karaka 2007 Carnival Sale by Bruce Perry from Sir James Lodge. He has now won three races from eight starts and $107,928 in prizemoney. He is the second Group winner from twelve winners for Highview Stud's Danroad, who has performed exceptionally well in his short stud career to date.

Danroad himself was a Group winning two-year-old and outstanding sprinter winning six races over 1200m, but trainer Ken Kelso has little concern about his son getting the 2400m of the Derby.

Kelso said, "I don't think it's a problem. He's from a Stark South mare that won over 2200 metres, but hey it's like a horse going over two miles for the first time, you don't know until they try it."

The Group 2 Championship Stakes has a good record of producing Group 1 New Zealand Derby performers since the Derby has been moved to its current March date. Redoute's Dancer (Redoute's Choice) won the race in 2007 and went on to capture the classic, whilst Red Ruler (Viking Ruler) won the race last year and went on to run eighth in the Group 1 NZ Derby and second in the Group 1 AJC Derby.