Sunshine Coast trainer Trevor Thomas has been responsible for two of the biggest upsets in Queensland racing in recent seasons and he is aiming at another in the Group One Queensland Derby.
Thomas’ galloper Rising Luck is headed to the Derby after winning at Ipswich on Wednesday.
No one would ever scoff at Thomas with a long shot as his stayer Jedi Starfighter saluted at Doomben at 200-1 and his sprinter Nickiera was an Eagle Farm winner at 100-1 last year
Sent out favourite, Rising Luck ($2.10) won by a head to another Derby hopeful in Allzin ($26) with yet another Derby second acceptor in Secret Tryst ($10) 1-1/2 lengths back in third.
The win lifted Rising Luck to number 20 on the list of entry for the Derby but several horses above him in the order are not expected to run.
“He is an emergency at the moment but the way things usually fall he should get into the field proper,” Thomas said.
Thomas has been aiming Rising Luck at the Derby since he ran a good third to smart three-year-old Jumbo Prince at the Gold Coast in January.
“He is a tough bloke. He has gone from 1200 metres to 2200 metres in four starts this campaign but he is racing well,” Thomas said.
“They walked today and that didn’t help him but that won’t be happening in the Derby.”
He said while Rising Luck was still at triple-figure odds for the Derby he would not be disgraced.
“Rising Luck was very good when he drew wide at the Sunshine Coast and was very wide all the way before finishing midfield behind Winx in the Guineas there,” he said.
