Ciaron Maher feels there is a sense of timing about Australian Derby contender Global Exchange who will be out to deliver on a long-range plan in the $2 million race at Randwick.
Maher has aimed Global Exchange towards Saturday’s Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick for some time and the colt arrives in the race off the back of an unbeaten three-run campaign in Victoria including the Group Two Autumn Classic (1800m) and Group Two Alister Clark Stakes (2040m).
“It has been a targeted plan. He’s in great order,” Maher, who trains in partnership with David Eustace, said.
“He travelled up well. He trialled well last week at Randwick and let down nicely.
“I think he will really appreciate the mile-and-a-half and he’s got a sense of timing about him.
“Kerrin McEvoy said he was no problem going the other way in the trial and he had a nice gallop on Tuesday. He should be pretty right to go.”
Global Exchange will be out to emulate his sire Dundeel who won the Derby six years ago by six lengths.
That Derby success clinched the Sydney three-year-old triple crown for Dundeel, who raced as It’s A Dundeel in Australia for New Zealand trainer Murray Baker.
Global Exchange won a Pakenham maiden at his second start last spring with connections deciding to wait for the autumn after the colt finished fifth to now-stablemate Extra Brut over 1600m at Caulfield at his next start.
“He won at Pakenham and we raised the bar and took him to Caulfield but he just showed us that day that he wasn’t quite ready,” Maher said.
“So we put him away and he came back in and he’s still big and raw. I think he’ll be better again next season.
“But he was good first-up despite wandering all over the track. We put the shades (blinkers) on and he was very good at Caulfield.
“And I thought it was an even better win at The Valley.”
Global Exchange had been favourite for the Derby after his Alister Clark win but is now on the fourth line of betting at $9.50.
Stablemate Extra Brut is at $17 with Maher hoping the track keeps drying out for him.
Extra Brut won the Victoria Derby last spring when trained by the now-disqualified Darren Weir. He has not started since his unplaced finish in the Australian Guineas (1600m) second-up just over a month ago.
“Extra Brut has the run on the board at the distance. He doesn’t like wet tracks at all,” Maher said.
“So it remains to see whether he runs yet or not, depending on the track. But he trialled (Monday) and let down pretty well, but his prep has not been as smooth. He’s missed runs due to tracks.”
With the scratching of filly Frankely Awesome, Arrogant shades ihs Mike Moroney-trained stablemate Chapada for Derby favouritism.
