Queensland Derby (Group 1)
JAMES McDonald had to pull every ounce of effort from Kukaracha to prevail in a hard fought Group 1 Queensland Derby over 2,400 metres at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
The gelding by Night Of Thunder, duelled desperately with Senor Toba, by Toronado, as only the barest of margins split them on the line. Third was the Tasmanian, Victoria and South Australian Derby winner Explosive Jack by Jakkalberry, with all three placegetters sired by Irish-bred stallions.
The quinella was trained by Chris Waller whose team saddled up seven of the 18 starters.
“I would have picked Senor Toba, they say jockeys are the worst decision-makers so I am glad I didn’t have the choice,” quipped James McDonald. “I have no say, Chris makes the decisions and I was lucky enough to get on this one. It was too close for comfort, I was asking the people who live down the back (of the track) who got it and they were no help.”
Bred by Waikato Stud’s resident vet, Dr Chris Phillips, Kukaracha was bought for NZ$130,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Sale by Mulcaster Bloodstock. With his stablemate Senor Toba he looks likely to contest the newly minted Q22, a $1.2 million Group 2 over 2,200 metres on June 12th.
IN a quirk of programming that highlights the skewed value of juvenile racing in Australia, the most valuable race at Eagle Farm on Saturday was not the A$600,000 Queensland Derby, or $700,000 Kingsford-Smith Cup, both Group 1 races, but rather the $1 million Group 2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes for two-year-olds.
In a field of 17, the Extreme Choice colt Tiger Of Malay pinched a break on his rivals to prevail by a length from the fast finishing Frankel gelding Converge and the Maurice colt Port Louis in the Yoshida colours.
“The way this horse felt today I think he will love the mile of the (Group 1) JJ (Atkins, 12th June),” said Craig Williams who rode the colt for Richard and Michael Freedman.
Tiger Of Malay was a $255,000 purchase by China Horse Club and Newgate Farm from last year’s Virtual Easter Yearling Sale.