Promising three-year-old Soros may be Queensland Derby bound after broke through for his first metropolitan win at Flemington on Saturday.
With Peter Moody in Hong Kong to saddle up King’s Rose in Sunday’s Group One Champions Mile at Sha Tin, stable foreman Jeff O’Connor said the decision would be left with the leading trainer.
Moody has already mentioned VRC St Leger winner Vatuvei as a Queensland Derby prospect.
“He’s a lovely looking horse and beautifully bred as well,” O’Connor said of Soros who is a son of Lonhro and Group One Emirates Stakes winner Bonanova.
“I never thought he could be a Derby horse but I’m pretty sure he’s in the Queensland Derby so we might have a looks at it.”
Soros is raced by Hutchins Thoroughbred Syndicate, managed by John Hutchins, and races in the same red and gold colours as former Horse of the Year Typhoon Tracy.
The colt, sent out $3.20 favourite in the Secondbite Fresh Food Rescue at his first try at 2000m, settled ninth but came with a strong run out wide on the track to score by three-quarters of a length from Durnford ($8.50).
Another Moody runner, topweight Chieftain Jack ($6), was two lengths away third.
The win gave jockey Vlad Duric a running double after his win in the Spotless Hcp (2000m) aboard the Peter Snowden-trained Chasse ($4.60 fav).
“We were trying to find out if he was just going to be a miler or if he could run a trip,” O’Connor said.
“And if he could run a trip as a three-year-old we’d give him his chance.”
O’Connor said if Soreos does head north he would probably have one more run in the right-handed direction leading up to the Group One Queensland Derby (2400m) run at Eagle Farm on June 9.
Duric believes the colt, who has raced six times for two wins and two placings, is a Derby prospect.
“He has the perfect attribute for a stayer which is he switches off very well and he handles the ground very well and they’ve been getting a bit of rain up there,” he said.
