New Zealand Racing

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Carlisle Bay/Best Gift didn't go much better than last time. He's behaving really badly at the start at the moment, tiring himself out before the races even start! Don't know why he's doing that.

Sir Slick won another race yesterday, his 17th career win and he was carrying 62.5kg. Amazing horse.

And now, since I'm bored at work, it's time to have another look at the Derby. Let's see how the ones I talked about in my last post about the Derby are going...

BRUXAAR - 3 g Xaar - Kindergarten - 3 starts, 2 wins, 1 second
Trainer Allan Sharrock, who won the Derby last year with Wahid, rates this horse as "one of the best I've trained". This is a huge call. He's going to the Levin Classic (G1) later this month and is going to be very hard to beat in that.

His record is now 6 starts, 4 wins, 1 second. His last start was an easy win against a tough field at Woodville, and he showed some explosive acceleration that only pretty special horses have. He's 12-1 for the Derby. Distance is an issue for him, but if I had to pick a horse for the Derby right now it'd be Bruxaar.

BERIO - 3 g Zabeel - Abbaye - 1 start, 1 win
Huge debut win this weekend, looks like a big powerful boy who won't have any trouble with the Derby distance. Look out.

Oops. Got this one wrong. Not in contention.

THUMBS UP - 3 g Shinko King - Regelle - 1 start, 1 win
Went out at 44-1 on debut on Wednesday and was 4 lengths behind the 2nd last horse around the final turn...flew down the outside and won with ease. That field was probably not the strongest, but what a win.

2 times out of the money since this, so I might have this one wrong too...I still have hope for this guy though.

SIX O'CLOCK NEWS - 3 g Zabeel - Maurine - 2 starts, 1 second
Amazing breeding (son of multiple G1 winning mare), and is getting better as he runs over more and more distance. Another big powerful guy.

Yay! This is one I did get right! He's now had 6 starts for 2 wins, 1 second and 1 third, and that third was a fast-closing effort in the G2 Great Northern Guineas last start. He's 12-1 for the Derby too.

Rios, Nom Du Jeu, Pierre Joseph and The Pooka haven't raced since. I'm expecting them to appear again in the next couple of weeks.

There are some I hadn't even heard of when I did that post that are now the leading contenders now though...

PRINCE KAAPSTAD - 3 g Kaapstad - Brilliant Princess - 8 starts, 3 wins, 1 second, 1 third
G2 Great Northern Guineas winner, a very impressive effort and there's no doubt he'll get the distance. 10-1 for the Derby.

IL DIVO - 3 g Don Eduardo - Rubiton's Best - 5 starts, 1 win, 3 seconds
Closed nicely for second in that Guineas. 12-1 for the Derby.

STEEL - 3 g Zabeel - Tennessee Midnight - 4 starts, 2 wins, 2 thirds
This horse has been getting better every race, finishing nicely for 3rd in his first 2 races before clearing maidens impressively and winning again last start. Both of those wins were at the Derby track, Ellerslie. He's a Zabeel, of course he'll get the distance. 10-1.

RED RULER - 3 g Viking Ruler - Ransom Bay - 3 starts, 2 wins, 1 third
The Derby favourite. What's he beaten? Absolutely nothing. But the way he's done it has been so impressive, 8-1 almost looks like good value.

This looks like a pretty talented crop. I hope so anyway.