Huge nominations for the Queensland Derby

The Brisbane Racing Club has received huge nominations today for the Group 1 $600,000 Channel 7 Queensland Derby (2200m) at Doomben on June 6.

Sunshine Coast three year old Worthy Cause is among the nominations for the Queensland Derby. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Sunshine Coast three year old Worthy Cause is among the nominations for the Queensland Derby. Photo by Daniel Costello.

The one hundred and twenty three-year-olds nominated for the Queensland Derby include last start winners Worthy Cause, Authoritarian and the Gai Waterhouse trained filly Bohemian Lily.

Waterhouse also nominated the Bohemian Lily for the Group 1 $500,000 Treasury Casino & Hotel Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Doomben on May 3o after the O’Reilly filly scored an impressive win in the Listed $125,000 Border Security Services Gold Coast Bracelet (1800m) at the Gold Coast last Saturday.

The top Randwick trainer has also entered Dee I Cee for the Queensland Derby.

The Lee and Anthony Freedman trained Authoritarian scored a dominant all the way win on a very wet track in the Listed $200,000 VRC St Leger (2800m) at Flemington last Saturday and the prospect of a wet track in Brisbane during the Winter is real possibility.

The John Zielke trained Worthy Cause also staked his claim for a shot at Group 1 glory with a comprehensive two lengths win over Derby nominated Upham in the Group 3 $125,000 Surfers Paradise RSL Gunsynd Classic (1600m) at the Gold Coast last Saturday and the Sunshine Coast trainer says he will have no trouble handling the extra distance.

“His pedigree says he will have no trouble and with those races coming back to 2000m and 2200m this year, it’s a nice progression from the 1800m he won at on Saturday,” Zielke said.

“We have decided that’s a better option than trying to keep him fresh for the two mile races. He won with a leg in the air on Saturday and deserves a shot at a Group 1 now.”

Upham is one of seven Peter Moody trained three year olds nominated, the others are Boom Time, Easy Drama, Imperial Lass, Inauguration, Second Option and Triple Gold.

Moody has won the Queensland Derby on two previous occasions with Riva Sun in 2008 and Brambles in 2012 and former Western Australian colt Boom Time could give the leading trainer a third.

Boom Time performed creditably in Perth during the Autumn Carnival with win over 2200m in the Listed $100,000 Schweppes Melvista Stakes at Ascot followed by a third to Delicacy in the Group 2 $400,000 Schweppes W.A.T.C. Derby (2400m) at Ascot.

Sydney premiership winning trainer Chris Waller is banking on numbers to help him win another Derby this season after taking out the Group 1 $1.5m AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington during the Melbourne Spring carnival with Preferment.

Waller’s ten Queensland Derby nominations are Ballet Suite, Honcho, Quick Strike, Redoubtable Heart, Rye, Sadler’s Lake, Super Willie, Waltzing Willie, Winx and Zodiac Blues.

Ballet Suite and Winx and are also nominated for the Queensland Oaks.

First late nominations for the Queensland Derby are on Friday May 1 with final acceptances on Wednesday June 3, 2015.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.