Weather With You has emerged as a contender for the Victoria Derby with a hard-fought on-pace victory at Geelong.
The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained three-year-old broke his maiden status with Wednesday’s Geelong Classic win.
Racing on the speed under Mark Zahra and wearing blinkers for the first time, Weather With You held on to score by a half-neck from Ocean’s Fourteen with Astoria another three-quarters of a length away third.
A stakes placegetter in New Zealand, Weather With You has had four starts in Melbourne with his goal the Victoria Derby at Flemington on November 4.
Weather With You came over with stablemates Bonneval, Jon Snow and Lizzie L’Armour and Forsman said he looked in great order on Wednesday.
“I was here a few weeks ago and he still had his winter coat,” Forsman said.
“He looked outstanding today.”
Forsman said the addition of blinkers and an outstanding ride from a good barrier by Mark Zahra were instrumental in the gelding’s success.
Weather With You will attempt to give Baker a second Derby success following Lion Tamer’s win in 2010 and Forsman says the 2500m of next month’s Derby will be ideal.
Zahra doesn’t yet have a ride in the Derby and said Weather With You was at the top of the queue but said the gelding would need to switch off to be successful.
“With the blinkers first time, he made me work early,” Zahra said.
“I was just going to fight him too much so I elected to go around. At least he got into a rhythm but didn’t fully switch off.
“It was a good effort because I thought he’d be a bit susceptible the last bit because he was a bit keen.”
