He could barely have been more impressive in his destructive Australian debut during the Mildura carnival, and now the much-hyped New Zealand import Aladdin is being aimed at another feature race across the Victorian border.

Charlton-based trainer Greg Norman, who works for prominent Adelaide owners Adam, Ben and Terry Cormack, will take the exciting three-year-old across to Globe Derby this weekend for the $30,000 2021 South Australian Pacing Derby.

With some rich form lines back home, Aladdin was expected by many to prevail in Saturday night’s Mildura Guineas, but the manner of his victory warranted plenty of respect. The gelding quickly rolled to the front and controlled the 2190m event, before ripping home in a slick 28.5sec last quarter. He was only released late by driver Kerryn Manning, who probably could have won by further than the end 12.2m margin if she desired.

Norman admitted he had some nerves surrounding Aladdin’s debut run for his stable in Mildura, but expected him to handle the tight track given he works on similar dimensions in Charlton.

“He’s a nice horse, but first start for me, you just don’t know do you? He’s a very nice horse, had worked good and had a good record in New Zealand racing the good horses,” he said.

“You are always a bit nervous with a new one like that because I hadn’t had him long. It was his first start and I hadn’t trialled him or anything. You have got to set the gear up and everything, so there was a little bit of nerves, but it was good and he got the job done.”

Aladdin was bought by the Cormacks shortly before the inaugural $200,000 NZB Standardbred Harness Million Final on New Year’s Eve 2020, and paid back the purchase fee by landing victory in that event. He hadn’t won since then heading into Saturday night’s race at Mildura, but on the basis of that performance – where he left some quality horses in his wake – there looks to be many more in store for the son of Sweet Lou.

“I think Adam is keen to take him up to Queensland for the Queensland Derby, but that’s a few months away yet,” Norman said of plans after this Saturday night’s Globe Derby run.

“One step at a time. We will go to Adelaide and see how we go in that against the better ones and just go from there.”

Stablemate Apieceoflou, who won a heat of the Euston Club Pace on Tuesday evening before being narrowly beaten in Saturday night’s final at Mildura, is also bound for the South Australian Pacing Derby. That horse, like Aladdin, is owned by the Cormack family.

This weekend’s Globe Derby card includes other features such as the $60,000 South Australian Pacing Cup and $30,000 South Australian Trotters Cup, both of which are at Group 2 level.

WATCH ALADDIN'S WIN FROM MILDURA BELOW