The Queensland Derby is on the radar for Happy As Hell after the gelding gave his connections reason to aim higher than his Caulfield win on Saturday.
Co-trainer Terry O’Sullivan said a setback earlier in the campaign had forced a re-think with Happy As Hell after originally planning to head towards the South Australian Derby on May 3.
“That has probably come up a bit quickly,” O’Sullivan said.
“He had a bit of a setback with a slight virus which stopped us, and because of that we’re thinking of heading that way (to the Queensland Derby) instead.”
Happy As Hell ($13) stepped from 1400m to 1800m third-up on Saturday and settled midfield under comeback jockey Dwayne Dunn in the Ernest Hillier Chocolates Handicap.
The victory was Dunn’s first Saturday winner this year having only returned to race riding with a winner on Wednesday after spending four months on the sidelines with a neck injury.
Happy As Hell chimed in on the outside to hit the front inside the final 150m before going on to win by a length over Razzle Dazzle Rock ($19) with Le Mans ($13) a neck away third.
It was Happy As Hell’s second Caulfield win over 1800m this season.
