SOME FACTS ABOUT SATURDAY’S GROUP ONE QUEENSLAND DERBY (2400M) AT EAGLE FARM
HISTORY
* First run in 1868 when won by Hermit
* From 1868-70 run at Gayndah
* In 1870, a second Derby was run at Toowoomba – both were won by Grafton
* Not held in 1873-77, in World War II between 1942-45 and 1972
* In 1912, King Cleo won a run-off after a dead-heat with Koatanui.
SOME NOTABLE WINNERS
Tulloch (1957); Royal Sovereign (1964); Kingston Town (1980); Strawberry Road (1983); Rough Habit (1990).
TALKING POINTS
– Hall of Fame jockey Jim Cassidy rode four Queensland Derby winners; Handy Proverb (1986), Bravery (1988), Yippyio (1997) and Hawkspur (2013).
– His brother Larry Cassidy rode three winners; Dodge (1998), Freemason (2000), Court Ruler (2009).
– Howard Be Thy Name is the $4 favourite. Only two of the past 10 Derby favourites have won.
– Six of the past 10 Derby winners have been last-start winners.
KEY COMMENTS
Sydney trainer Chris Waller has four runners and here’s what he said about them.
MACKINTOSH: “He is on a mission as soon as he gets in the barrier. He never over-races and is genuine.”
ENCOSTA LINE: “He missed the Grand Prix Stakes but he hasn’t missed any work.”
RODRICO: “Is up in grade but you have to respect Sydney Saturday form and he is very fit.”
MULTIFACETS: “The least favoured of the four but if you had asked me earlier in the autumn he would have been my first pick and his form is not as bad as it looks.”
