Anthony Cummings trained son of Hotel Grand has won the $1.5million dollar Victoria Derby at Flemington racecourse.
Ridden by Damien Oliver, Fiveandahalfstar sat just behind the leader Jimando for throughout the race before taking up the running early into the straight and stayed on too strong to beat the horse coming from back which included Hvasstan and Rawnaq.
Race favourite It’s A Dundeel hit the line strong but was too far back during the run to make up enough ground to challenge the winner.
Fiveandahalfstar leading into today’s Group 1 Victoria Derby had won his last two starts in much lesser grade with his first win in a race coming at his sixth start in a Canterbury maiden before going to the city and winning very impressively albeit in a handicap race.