Premier horsewoman Emma Stewart will launch another major Victoria Derby assault at Melton tomorrow night as she aims to continue her unprecedented dominance of the feature.
Launched in 1914, Australia’s oldest classic has been won by the who’s who of the southern hemisphere’s finest trainers, but none have managed to compile a record like Stewart’s.
Having secured the Blue Riband for the first time with Our Little General in 2017, Stewart has won four of the eight subsequent editions, including the last three!
During their peak, Bob and Vin Knight won four of seven Derbys between 1982 and 1988.
“We’ve been very fortunate to have had a lot of success in the Derby,” Stewart said. “It is certainly a race we aim to have a strong presence in.
“We have a good team aimed at it again this year, so we’ll just have to see how things play out.”
Stewart has 10 runners across three heats, including Cardigan Dan and Enjoy Life, which are $2.80 joint favourites in the first qualifier.
To be driven by Cameron Hart, Cardigan Dan has drawn barrier two, while Enjoy Life will begin from nine with Mark Pitt in the cart.
The duo will be joined by stablemates The Final Dance and Mount Barker Boy from gates five and seven, respectively.
Brooklyn Dan heads the market at $2 from the pole in the second heat, with his stablemates Lowrider and Most Exciting at $19 and $6.50 from barriers 10 and 11, respectively.
Despite drawing the outside of the front row, Seaside Boy is considered Stewart’s best chance in the third heat at $5.
New South Wales raider Nymbal is the $3.20 favourite from barrier five.
Also drawn in barriers 10 and 11, Dynamitedan and Star Vision round out Stewart’s squad as $9 and $7 chances.
“We are more than happy with each of them and they’re all capable of winning with the right run,” Stewart said. “Obviously winning the heat is the ideal result, but the main aim is to qualify for the Final.”
