Jockey Craig Williams has given young Kiwi galloper Positive Carry the Victoria Derby 2016 tick of approval after guiding the galloper to victory at Sale on Wednesday.
Jockey Craig Williams rates Positive Carry a genuine 2016 Victoria Derby hope this Melbourne Cup Carnival. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Prepared by the now Cranbourne-based Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young, Savabeel colt Positive Carry broke his maiden status at his second career start in the mid-week Victorian meet.
On debut the stunning black youngster ran second over 1411m at the Sale track on September 11, returning to the course this week stepping up in distance for the $23,000 Laurels Function Centre Maiden Plate (1738m).
Positive Carry relished the extra metres and saluted for the punters as the $2.60 favourite narrowly defeating the Patrick Payne-trained Miss Dubois (2nd) and Pat Carey’s roughie hope Captain Rhett ($41) in a blanket finish.
Connections paid the early entry fee on Tuesday for Positive Carry in the $1.5 million Group 1 AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m), nominations for the Flemington classic on Saturday October 29 totalling a bumper 106 three-year-olds.
Busuttin & Young have a total of three VRC Derby entries this Melbourne Cup Carnival with Positive Carry ed by Fastnet Rock colt Anaheim and Redwood gelding Rising Red.
After his win this week, Positive Carry is the best fancied of the trio in futures Victoria Derby betting at Ladbrokes.com.au paying $26 for the win.
Kiwi gallopers have a strong recent record in the Victoria Derby results winning back-to-back in 2010 (Lion Tamer) and 2011 (Sangster).
Busuttin prepared the latter, Sangster scoring an upset as a $12 shot on the back of strong lead-up form including a third in Sydney’s Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) and second in the Group 3 Norman Robinson Stakes (2000m) a fortnight before at Caulfield.
Williams also has previous VRC Derby winning form having ridden the David Hayes-trained winner Kibbutz (2007) to victory nine years ago.
After the Sale win on Wednesday, Williams sanctioned Positive Carry as a genuine stayer and rated his chances in this season’s Derby.
“As a three-year-old you don’t have to be that good [to win the VRC Derby] and he can stay,” Williams told Racing Victoria on Wednesday.
“He’s got that and that was only his second-up run, he’ll get loads of experience out of today, so they are in a position to have a potential good chance in a Derby this year.
“The race worked out perfectly until he was off the bridle then shunted wide on the turn, but outstayed them late.”
Co-trainer Young indicated a possible next-up run for Positive Carry in the $120,000 Listed UCI Stakes (1800m) at Flemington on Turnbull Stakes Day, Sunday October 2.
Current VRC Derby betting favourite is fellow New Zealander, the Tony Pike-trained Sacred Elixir ($8).
The Pour Moi gelding won the Group 1 J.J. Atkins (1600m) in Brisbane during the winter and races for the first time since this weekend in Melbourne.
He lines-up in his three-year-old debut at Caulfield in the $175,000 Group 3 Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m).
Damian Lane has the ride, Sacred Elixir paying $7 in the latest markets at race sponsor Ladbrokes.com.au.
To back your early VRC Derby 2016 selections at the right price head to Ladbrokes.com.au today!
