The ‘Big V’ flag was waving at Wentworth Park in Sydney last Friday night and Saturday night.
It was a big 48 hours as the ‘Vic invasion’ went into full ‘battle cry’!
In all, five male tyros qualified for the G1 National Derby, three flying femmes for the G1 National Futurity, and a G1 star will fly solo for us in the G1 Paws Of Thunder – finals of all three, worth $75,000 to-the-winner and over 520m, which will be conducted on Saturday night.
And three of our staying stars will contest the $40,000 to-the-winner G2 Summer Distance Plate final (720m) on the same night.
Anakie trainer Jeff Britton could be in for a big ‘payday’.
He has G1 Adelaide Cup winner Do It (Box 2) in the Paws Of Thunder. He’s on the second line of betting at $3.50, behind NSW champ Jungle Deuce ($3.00), after posting a flying 29.59sec (Best) heat win.
Britton and his partner, Angela Langton, also have Osprey Phantom (Box 3) and Boston Garden (Box 8) in the Derby.
Boston Garden won a heat in 29.79sec (Best), defeating the Andrea Dailly-trained counterpart Zara’s Ivan by 1.75 lengths, and Osprey Phantom finished second, beaten 2.25 lengths, to fellow Vic Persuasive (29.94sec), which is prepared by Chris Darmanin.
And making up the Vic ‘fab five’ is the Emily Azzopardi-trained Slingshot Jonesy, which won a heat in 30.04sec.
Subsequently, the Vics dominate TAB betting for the Derby headed by Boston Garden ($3.50), Persuasive (Box 6) – $4.00, Slingshot Jonesy (Box 1) – $4.20 and Zara’s Ivan (Box 2) – $5.00, with Osprey Phantom a $26.00 outsider.
Britton will also launch a two-pronged challenge in the Distance Plate with Hank The Hustler (Box 2) and Mepunga Ruby (Box 7).
Hank The Hustler won a heat in 42.28sec and Mepunga Ruby finished fourth to Vic counterpart Untapped, beaten 3.5 lengths, in 42.24sec (Best).
Untapped (Box 4), trained by Dustin Drew, shares favouritism with NSW star Stanley Road (Box 8) at $3.00, followed by Hank The Hustler ($4.40) and Mepunga Ruby ($4.80).
Boston Garden strolls to a slick 29.44sec win at Sandown Park on November 28 last year.
Meanwhile, Peter Presutto will have a Futurity ‘dual hand’ with G2 Laurels Classic winner Idolize (Box 3) and her litter sister Chic (Box 7).
And they’ll be joined by the Anthony Azzopardi-trained Caroline (Box 5).
Idolize heads the betting market at $3.00 after a smart 29.88sec heat win – just under 3 lengths slower than fastest qualifier and NSW whiz Ritza Donna, which won the G1 Dapto Megastar.
Ritza Donna (Box 6) is a $3.50 chance, while Chic and Caroline are $5.00 and $26.00 respectively.
Idolize takes out the G2 Laurels Classic at Sandown Park on December 16 last year.
