Its Sydney Autumn Racing at its best, and its the Victorian Derby winner Observer who is looking for a Blue Riband double with the $2m ATC Australian Derby at Royal Randwick.
In winning the Victorian Derby of 2500m at Flemington in November, today he is the $3.30 second favourite with nation-wide betting agencies for the Australian Derby run over 2400m.
Again to be ridden by world ranked jockey James McDonald for Ciaron Maher, and in the royal blue silks of Godolphin, Observer now has a 10-5:2:2 career record with over $2.6m in stakes.
Freshened-up from a “workman like’ third to Autumn Boy in the Rosehill Guineas of 2000m, he earlier won the Australian Guineas of 1600m and the Autumn Stakes over 1400m with Eathan Brown.
Starting from Barrier 12 of 13 runners on a possible Soft 4 rated track, Observer is a Godolphin 3yo home-bred being by their outstanding young international sire Ghaiyyath, a son of Dubawi,
Being from the unraced Lonhro mare Smooth, he’s half-brother Newcastle Stakes winner Sandpaper he’s the family of outstanding sire Pierro and Wakeful Stakes winner Amberience.
With original Derby favourite Autumn Boy by-passing the 2400m of the Derby, and dropping to the 1600m of the $4m Doncaster Mile, he certainly is respected as the $7.50 second favourite.
And with the 3yo filly Sheza Aalibi at $2 in winning the Randwick Guineas, it’s Chris Waller saying ‘Autumn Boy will handle the pressure of a big handicap, having run the sections at Rosehill.’
In the absence of Autumn Boy, the door if open further for Godolphin as their Newcastle Spring Stakes winner Green Spaces is the $3.20 race favourite, having always held his price in the betting.
With the efficient Rachael King racing in the royal blue of Godolphin with a white cap, she jumps form Barrier 6 for trainer Bjorn Baker, and is a definite to build on her mounts 9-3:1:0 record.
Having been a credible second in the Rosehill Guineas of 2000m, he has been running into form with sixth placings in the Randwick Guineas of 1600m and the Hobartville Stakes of 1400m.
Also a Godolphin homebred, Green Spaces is a 3yo brown colt by their successful sire Street Boss from the winning Redoute’s Choice mare Outdoor, a daughter of the champion Serenade Rose.
And being the dam of multi Group 1 winner Trekking, Paraglide and Plymstock, Outdoor is also half-sister to Group 3 placed winner Entertains, the dam of dual French Group 3 winner Egot.
At $4.80 is the Tulloch Stakes winner Storm Leopard, who jumps from Barrier 5 for Tommy Berry and trainers Ben, Will and J.D. Hayes in the red and black silks of Myracehorse partnership.
Now with 3 wins from 6 starts, he was a $125,000 2024 MM Gold Coast Yearling, also sired by Ghaiyyath and is the family of top sires Helmet, Epaulette and Bullbars, plus Pericles.
There is no by-passing the NZ Derby winner Road to Paris at $10, who was second in the Avondale Guineas for trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood and is from Gate 10 with Zac Purton.
Owned and bred by Ron and Judi Wanless, he’s the first Gr1 winner of Circus Maximus, the triple Group 1 miler, and is three-quarter sister to their Schweppes Oaks winner Lights In Heaven.
And what of last season Australian Derby heroine Aeliana, who drops back in distance to the 2000m of the $4m Queen Elizabeth Stakes on Saturday 11 April, and is quoted as $4.50 second pick.
Now being compared to the great Verry Elleegant, and is also looking for Horse of The Year honours, she was magnificent in winning the Tancred Stakes of 2400m, having won the Ranvet Stakes.
A 4yo mare with a 18-6:6:1 and $4.4m career record, she is the best of the Spring Champion Stakes winner Castelvecchio, and was a $180,000 2023 Karaka Book 1 buy for Star Thoroughbreds.
