Trainer Mick Price can see Tarzino getting a good run from barrier six in the thirteen horse field of the Group 1 $2m BMW Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick on Saturday, the first day of ‘The Championships’.
Tarzino will get a good run from barrier six in the Australian Derby at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Tarzino won the Group 1 $1.5m AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington during the 2015 Melbourne Spring Carnival and has carried that form into the Autumn.
At his second run back Tarzino ran a nose second to Palentino in the Group 1 $750,000 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 5 before winning the Group 1 $600,000 Sky Racing Rosehill Guineas (2000m) at Rosehill last Saturday week.
“He should get a nice run in the race, and I can’t fault the horse. He has had a good prep and that’s all that we can ask for,” Price said.
“The horse jumped really well at Rosehill from an inside gate there which I was really pleased with. He totally bombed the start in the Australian Guineas but we need him to jump and just have a nice run in the race, I’m sure he can, I am sure he will and just looking forward to the race.”
Price said that Tarzino has had a trouble free preparation and will line up in the Australian in peak condition.
“He is really good,” Price said.
“He has had a really good prep. This is the first trip away for the big lad that he is so I was really happy that he won the Rosehill Guineas and that race had brought him on.”
“He had a really nice gallop today. We were on the track at a quarter past four this morning, Craig Newitt was there bright and early to work him.”
“Perfect gallop. The horse is spot on and certainly the Tuesday before the Derby I have no complaints.”
“2000m to 2400m, 2500m, that seems to be a beautiful distance for him. He has a great set of lungs on him. He is sound, a colt always looking for something to do, so he will certainly get it Saturday.”
While Price said that Tarzino is spot on for Saturday’s contest, he still admits that there are plenty of other chances in the mile and a half staying test.
“It is not a pushover. There are some horses in form coming along, Tally and Jameka,” Price said.
“But everything seems perfect, but you never know one day to the next in this game but all I can is that he has had a perfect preparation.”
“We were only ever going to have the four runs so everything has gone really well and his work this morning was good. His work Saturday morning was good. I have got no complaints, he is there to win on his merits.
2015 Crown Oaks winner Jameka, the only filly in the Australian Derby field, has drawn one from the outside at barrier twelve.
The Ciaron Maher trained Jameka was having her third run back for the Autumn and will be trying to turn the tables on Tarzino after finishing behind the Mick Price trained colt when fifth in the Australian Guineas and then third in the Rosehill Guineas.
The in-form John O’Shea trained Tally has drawn barrier nine while his stablemate Etymology drew closer to the inside in gate five.
Tally has worked his way up through the classes in Victoria with wins from his last four starts, his last two at Group 2 level in the $200,000 Ladbrokes Caulfield Autumn Classic (1800m) at Caulfield on February 27 and in the Group 2 $200,000 Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) at Moonee Valley on March 18.
The Chris Waller trained pair have drawn next to each other with Torgersen drawing seven and Vanbrugh coming up with gate eight.
The final Australian Derby field and barrier draw: 1 Tarzino (6), 2 Vanbrugh (8), 3 Etymology (5), 4 Tally (9), 5 Sovereign Nation (11), 6 Torgersen (7), 7 Gold Ambition (13), 8 What’s The Story (4), 9 Tavago (1), 10 Crosley Hotshot (10), 11 Oh So Splendido (3), 12 Alfden (2), 13 Jameka (12).
