New Zealand visitor Shocking Luck is early favourite in the updated post-field 2017 Queensland Derby odds to salute in Group 1 company at Doomben Racecourse this weekend.
Black On Gold is the shortest-priced of the four Chris Waller-trained hopes in Saturday’s 2017 Queensland Derby field & odds. Photo: Steve Hart.
A late entry into the Stradbroke Handicap Day feature after connections accidently missed the original first acceptances cut-off date, the Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards-trained gelding is one of a capacity field of three-year-old stayers engaged for the $600,000 Group 1 Queensland Derby (2200m) on Saturday.
Drawn the rails with Opie Bosson to ride the son of 2009 Melbourne Cup champion Shocking from the inside alley, Shocking Luck currently heads the Queensland Derby betting markets at Ladbrokes.com.au paying $5 for the win.
He’s an easing favourite, out from $4.80, to post his second win at the track from as many starts having won the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate (2000m) on May 13.
In the Rough Habit Shocking Luck beat home Order Again by nearly three lengths, but on a Heavy (8) Eagle Farm track he could only manage to run sixth to that horse who turned the tables in the Group 3 Grand Prix Stakes (2200m).
Order Again misses the Queensland Derby out with an injury however and that has opened it up for Shocking Luck to return to form back at Doomben.
Early Queensland Derby market mover firming into co-$5 favouritism with the New Zealander is the Ciaron Maher-trained Ruthven.
The Melbourne-based Domesday colt was fourth in the Group 1 ATC Derby (2400m) beaten only two lengths in April and was placed in Group 1 company last time out beaten only a half-length by Volatile Mix in Morphettville’s Group 1 SA Derby (2500m) on May 13.
This weekend Ruthven meets his last start conqueror over less metres and has Hugh Bowman in the saddle from barrier nine.
The last equal favourite to win the Queensland Derby was Hawkspur (2013), while Brambles (2012) and Shootoff (2011) also jumped top fancy for their respective wins in the winter classic.
The Darren Weir-trained SA Derby winner Volatile Mix is also at single-figures for Saturday’s rematch at $7 despite drawing the second outside alley in Wednesday’s Queensland Derby barrier draw.
The barrier form for the Queensland Derby this year is hard to stack-up against previous years with the race usually run over the 2400m at Doomben.
That said, four of the past six Queensland Derby winners have saluted from barrier 10 or wider including Magicool (14 of 16) when the event was last held at Doomben.
Two of the past three Queensland Derby champions jumped at $13 in the markets and of the double-figure fancies in the mix for 2017 those with claims include the sole filly in the race Ana Royale ($10) out to atone for her Queensland Oaks eighth last weekend, Black On Gold ($11) who is the best fancied of the four Chris Waller-trained runners, the Weir-trained Mongolian Wolf ($12) drawn well in barrier four and Grand Prix Stakes third placegetter Violate ($13).
Check out the latest Queensland Derby 2017 betting odds below, markets open now at Ladbrokes.com.au.
