New Zealand Racing, 2012-13

[_ed_]

Speaking of the Derby, let's get this started!

And we'll start with the obvious one - the Derby favourite herself, the one and only...


HABIBI

3 f Ekraar - Danny Holiday
Breeder: H J & P J Crofskey
Owner: G P, H J & P J Crofskey and P A McIntyre
Trainer: Donna & Dean Logan
Jockey: Vinnie Colgan

5 starts
5 wins
0 seconds
0 thirds

Major races:
1st Championship Stakes G2
1st Great Northern Guineas G2

Best replay to watch:
Championship Stakes, Ellerslie, 1 January
http://www.nzracing.co.nz/RaceInfo/4...ce-Detail.aspx


Derby odds: 3.50 (favourite)

+ Undefeated in five
+ Winning so easily
+ Seems to be getting better with every race

- The horses she's beaten haven't done great since. Championship Stakes runner-up Addictive Habit only managed a battling sixth in the Waikato Guineas earlier this month
- The fact that she's never had a challenge could actually be a problem if she has one for the first time in the Derby! How will she handle having a horse stay with her?


Of course she has to be the favourite at the moment. She's been flawless, and she's been on another level to her opposition so far. But in the last couple of weeks some better horses than the ones she's been beating have broken out. Can she beat them too? There's no reason to think she can't, but there's really only one way to find out!