Jon Snow is set to back-up in the 2017 Australian Derby next weekend after he made his Australian racing debut with an impressive victory in the Tulloch Stakes at Rosehill Gardens this afternoon.

Jon Snow was too good for his rivals in the 2017 Tulloch Stakes at Rosehill Gardens this afternoon. Photo by: Steve Hart

Jon Snow was well-backed in the lead-up to the Tulloch Stakes following his third place finish in the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) and he always looked like he was going to be tough to beat.

Damian Lane elected to roll forward on Jon Snow in the early stages of the Tulloch Stakes and he eventually settled into a lovely rhythm in second position.

Lane went for home on Jon Snow at the top of the straight and he quickly put a gap on his rivals before he held off Victoria Derby winner Prized Icon in the final stages of the race to claim victory.

Co-trainer Andrew Forsman revealed after the race that the stable was incredibly confident heading into the Tulloch Stakes with Jon Snow and he confirmed that the New Zealand Derby placegetter will likely back-up in the Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) next weekend.

“It is not a nice position to be in to be honest, to come over here for a Group 2 and be so confident, but it was just nice to get the job done,” Forsman said.

“We will talk to Damian and see what he thinks before we see how he comes through the next couple of days because he has had a long-hard prep.

“He ran the trip out strongly in the Derby and he has been running on hard tracks and the slowness in the ground really helped him today.

“All things being equal he should be there.

“We will have a talk to the owners and I am sure that they all want a trip over here, so hopefully he comes through it well and we can have a crack at least.”

Prized Icon failed to fire in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas last weekend, but he got himself back into Australian Derby calculations with a tough second place finish and he is a horse that does thrive on the quick back-up.