The last time the Ciaron Maher stable won the Tasmanian Derby, it started a chain of Derby victories around the country.
Explosive Jack won the Tasmanian Derby in 2021 before going on to claim the Australian Derby in Sydney and the South Australian Derby in Adelaide.
The three-year-old would then travel to Brisbane, running third in the Queensland Derby.
Maher’s latest winner of the Tasmanian Derby in Hobart came with Dad And Dave at Hobart last month and like Explosive Jack he could venture on a path towards the three remaining Derbies in Australia this year.
Part of that step is the Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on Saturday which will be Dad And Dave’s first outing since his Tasmanian Derby success.
“He’s got that Tassie form, and he’s had a little bit of time since then,” Maher said.
“But this race will shape where we go. Potentially Sydney and potentially on the Explosive Jack path to Adelaide and Brisbane after that.
“He (Explosive Jack) did the lot, but this horse is probably not as robust at the same time as Explosive Jack, but we’ll see how he goes.
“He’s in pretty good order, all the same.”
Joining Dad And Dave in the Alister Clark Stakes will be Amazake who will be looking to break through for his maiden win.
Amazake ran third in the Caulfield Classic over Saturday’s course and distance in the spring before contesting the Victoria Derby (2500m), finishing in the second half of the field.
At his only run since, Amazake finished second in a maiden over 1600m at Pakenham earlier in the month.
“I just like the way he went through the line at Pakenham,” Maher said.
“It’s a more testing track there, and he hit the line pretty well.
“Being a three-year-old, he’s got plenty of time to knock off a maiden, but he stays OK and can burn around in the Alister Clark Stakes.”
