Trainer Troy Corstens is happy with the form of Pinstripe Lane heading into the 2014 Queensland Derby and said that he wouldn’t trade the colt for any other runner in the Group 1 event that will be held at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Pinstripe Lane will be ridden by Damien Oliver in the 2014 Queensland Derby at Eagle Farm this weekend. Photo by: Steve Hart
Pinstripe Lane we set for the Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) after he finished a disappointing 13th in the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington on November 2 last year and has been in excellent form since resuming at Sandown on March 22.
The Pins colt finished fourth in the Steeline Mancave Sheds Handicap (1717m) at Sale on April 17 before taking out the Rexel Handicap (1900m) at Rosehill Gardens on May 10 and finishing an unlucky second behind Vilanova in the Group 3 Grand Prix Stakes (2200m) at Doomben on May 24.
Corstens told Racing Ahead that he has been happy with each of Pinstripe Lane’s this preparation and is confident that the three-year-old is capable of scoring his maiden Group 1 victory in the Queensland Derby this weekend.
“It is nice when a plan sort of hatches the way that it has, everything has fallen into place,” Corstens said.
“After we tipped him out following the VRC Derby, we targeted this race and he is coming along nicely.
“He flopped in the Derby and it was the best thing that could have happened because he went straight to the paddock and he has grown and developed.
“He is still a colt, we did think about gelding him but there was no reason too, and he has furnished into a magnificent looking horse.
“He was a touch unlucky (in the Grand Prix Stakes) and he had an excuse at Sale.
“Every run he has got a past mark or better and I don’t think I would swap him with anything going into Saturday.”
Pinstripe Lane worked on the course proper at Eagle Farm this morning as part of Breakfast With The Stars and Corstens said that the colt will have another gallop on Thursday to make sure that he is at peak fitness for the Queensland Derby.
“He had a good hit out this morning and he is a horse that does very well, so he will have another gallop on Thursday morning,” Corstens said.
“It is what we have done with him every time this time around and I am not going to change that this week.
“He will have another little gallop on Thursday morning and he worked nicely.
“Damien (Oliver) will probably slot him in that little bit closer and he is probably a bit fitter than what he was in the Grand Prix.”
Pinstripe Lane is currently available at 2014 Queensland Derby odds of $4.80, while Grand Prix Stakes winner Vilanova ($3.80) remains a narrow favourite from Elusive Runner ($4.80).
