Victoria Derby – who is bred to run 2500m?

The Victoria Derby is always the first test at 2500 metres for three-year-olds and a look into the family tree of each runner can help provides clues as to whether they will run out the distance strongly.

This year's field contains a couple of runners closely-related to a couple of past winners of the Group 1 Classic, which will be run this Saturday at Flemington.

1.  OBSERVER (Ghaiyyath x Smooth)
Trainer: Ciaron Maher. Jockey: Mark Zahra

The hot favourite is a member of the first Southern Hemisphere crop of Darley's son of Dubawi, who is one of the highest-rated stallions to stand in Australia thanks to his Juddmonte Stakes win in a Timeform rating of 133. A homebred for Sheikh Mohammed, Observer is out of the unraced mare Smooth, a daughter of Lonhro and Miss Right Note, which makes her a sister to Pierro. He never raced beyond 2040m but another half-sibling, Ambience, won the G2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) on Derby Day and ran second in both the ATC Oaks and Queensland Oaks at 2400m and was third in the VRC Oaks at 2500m. Another half-sibling, Thunder Set, won out to 3200m. Smooth has had two others to the track, Sandpaper and Mellifluent, neither of whom have raced beyond 1600m but are by sprint sires Snitzel and Exceed And Excel respectively.

2.  HIGHVOL (Microphone x Aspenet)
T: Nick Ryan. J: Jamie Mott

When Nick Ryan forked out $100,000 for Highvol at last year's Inglis Premier Sale, it probably wasn't with an eye to the Derby. He's by a G1 ATC Sires' (1400m) winner and Golden Slipper (1200m) runner-up, who is a son of sprint sire Exceed And Excel, out of a Hussonet mare. The only recent Black Type on the pedigree page is supplied by Lord Aspen, who was a multiple Listed winner but did not win beyond 1400m.

3.  AUTUMN MYSTERY (The Autumn Sun x Stop Making Sense)
T: Rory Hunter. J: Blake Shinn

One of the potential fairytale stories of this year's race as a $15,000 Premier Sale purchase and the stable star for young Mornington trainer Rory Hunter. A son of Arrowfield's star son of Redoute's Choice, who is proving himself a versatile young sire with SA Derby (2500m) winner Coco Sun and Oaks winners Autumn Angel and Vibrant Sun among his progeny. Autumn Mystery is out of a Sebring mare who is from a predominantly speed-based family, which includes I Wish I Win, but does also feature G3 Auckland Cup (2400m) winner Savy Yong Blonk and G3 Gloaming Stakes (1800m) winner Strike The Stars, who ran fourth in both the ATC Derby (2400m) and SA Derby (2500m).

4.  MIEWA (Maurice x Lady Cumquat)
T: Nick Ryan. J: Jordan Childs

A $460,000 graduate from Magic Millions' feature January sale, the Nick Ryan-trained colt is a son of Maurice, the sire of Victoria Derby winner Hitotsu. Miewa is out of a Duke Of Marmalade mare who is a former NZ Broodmare of the Year and is the dam of ATC Oaks and NZ Oaks (2400m) winner Bonneval and NZ Derby (2400m) placegetter Frontman. Miewa is one of five to race from Lady Cumquat, who is also the dam of Justadeel – who runs in next Tuesday's $3m The Big Dance at Randwick – and former classy mare So You See.

5.  OPTIONS (Impending x Alternatively)
T: Tony & Calvin McEvoy. J: Harry Coffey

Another Godolphin homebred who is at his best over a little further than his father, a son of Lonhro whose two Group 1 wins came over 1350m at Doomben. Options' stoutness no doubt comes from his dam Alternatively, who is by Galileo's son New Approach, an Epsom Derby-winning sire. Alternatively never got to the track but is out of a half-sister to former Hong Kong star Vengeance Of Rain and ATC Oaks (2400m) winner Dizelle, who is the dam of VRC Oaks (2500m) winner Pinot.

6.  PROVIDENCE (Wootton Bassett x Southbank)
T: Chris Waller. J: Craig Williams

The $625,000 Inglis Easter yearling is the most expensive yearling in the race and while yet to win in eight starts, another member of the family has already won the Derby as a maiden. Providence is out of the G1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) placegetter Southbank, a daughter of Fastnet Rock and Rezoned. Winner of the G3 SA Fillies Classic (2500m), Rezoned is by Zabeel out of Better Alternative, which makes her a sister to Preferment, who notched his first win in the 2014 Derby.  There should be no doubts about stamina on Providence's paternal side as well, being by Wootton Bassett, the sire of this year's Melbourne Cup favourite Al Riffa.

7.  AZAZEL (Shocking x Alagant Angel)
T: Mark Walker; J: Michael Dee

One of the bargain buys of the race, the NZ$15,000 Karaka yearling wants for nothing when it comes to stamina, being a son of a Melbourne Cup winner out of a daughter of Tavistock, a renowned sire of Derby winners, including Victoria Derby winners Tarzino and Johnny Get Angry. Azazel is the first foal from Alagant Angel, whose dam Alagant Satin won a G2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m) and is a granddaughter of NZ Oaks winner Brown Satin.

8.  ARCORA (Justify x Casuarina Forest)
T: Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young. J: John Allen

The son of US Triple Crown winner Justify sealed his spot in this race back in July, when he won the Byerley Handicap (1800m), and he is with a stable who knows the family well. Arcora's half-sister is Foxy Cleopatra – a daughter of American Pharoah, who has sired the past two Victoria Derby winners – who was also trained by Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young and ran second in a G3 Ethereal Stakes (2000m) before finishing down the track in the VRC Oaks. G2 Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) winner Bank Maur also appears on Arcora's page, but it is largely a sprinting family with the standout being Group 1-winning sprinter Foxwedge, who like Casuarina Forest is by Fastnet Rock out of Forest Native.

9.  O'Sheamus (Shamus Award x O'Reilly's Angel)
T: John O'Shea & Tom Charlton. J: Kerrin McEvoy

The Sydney visitor, who cost $40,000 at last year's Inglis Classic Sale, might be by a son of Snitzel, but one who has produced star stayers Incentivise and Duais and Group 1 Classic winners El Patroness and Mr Quickie. Most of the Black Type form on the female side of the family came in races up to a mile, but he is out of an O'Reilly mare and O'Reilly mares are responsible for Derby winners including Orchestral and Major Beel.

10.  AMAZAKE (Maurice x Diminish)
T: Ciaron Maher; J: Declan Bates

The $120,000 buy out of the 2023 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale is another by Maurice, out of an unraced Fastnet Rock mare who is a half-sister to former enduring sprinter Buffering. Diminish's only other to race is Dealt, who like Amazake is trained by Ciaron Maher, and has had four starts for two wins, one at 1280m and the other at 1500m.

11.  ENGINE OF WAR (Circus Maximus x Prove Your Worth)
T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jr; J: Tommy Berry

Like favourite Observer, the NZ$50,000 Karaka Ready To Run purchase is out of a daughter of Lonhro and is a member of the first Southern Hemisphere crop of a stallion who was a star in Europe. A three-time G1 winner, Circus Maximus – a son of Galileo – was the Champion 3YO Miler in France in 2019 and Champion Older Male Miler in Ireland in 2020. Most of the best performances of Engine Of War's maternal side have come over shorter trips with Prove Your Worth a half-sister to G1 Tatt's Tiara (1400m) Palaisipan, while top sprinters Northern Meteor and Smart Missile are the standout products further down the page.

12.  Matsuda (Maurice x Courtesan)
T: Ciaron Maher; J: Tom Stockdale

The $190,000 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale buy boasts links to the Derby on either side of the pedigree page, being by a stallion who has already produced a winner out of a mare who is a half-sister to a past winner. Courtesan, a daughter of Mastercraftsman, is out of the Star Way mare Argante, who is also the dam of Monaco Consul. That son of High Chaparral won both the Derby and G1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) in 2009 and was placed in the ATC Derby the following year. Multiple Group 1 winner and dual Derby placegetter Military Plume also appears on the pedigree page, being a half-brother to Argante.

13.  One Step Closer (Castelvecchio x Get Closer)
T: John O'Shea & Tom Charlton; J: Jye McNeil

The Derby runners by Maurice bring Japanese blood in this year's race on the male side, but this guy has it on the female side. A $65,000 Classic purchase, he's out of a mare who twice at 1800m in Japan and traces back to an American family that has Group 1 form at around the same trip. Castelvecchio has already proven an ability to produce a Derby winner, being a sire of this year's runaway ATC Australian Derby winner Aeliana, who was a hard-luck story in last weekend's Cox Plate (2040m).

14.  SAVISANTA (Savabeel x Not Santa)
T: Chris Waller; J: Ben Melham

Chris Waller's second runner in the race and like his other, Providence, Savisanta is also yet to win. A son of 2003 Victoria Derby runner-up Savabeel, who has produced multiple Derby and Oaks winners, Savisanta is out of a Makfi mare who won up to 1550m. Most of the immediate family's best-performed progeny, which includes Travimyfriend, have been at their best up to a mile although further down the page are Queensland Derby placegetter Vilanova and G2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) winner and G2 Moonee Valley Cup (2500m) runner-up Rizon.

15.  Mcwoody (Alabama Express x Queen Ouija)
T: Mark Walker; J: Jamie Melham

The $27,500 Adelaide Magic Millions purchase might be by a sire who was at his best over sprint trips as a racehorse, but is responsible for last season's Champion 3YO Filly, Treasurethe Moment, who both the VRC Oaks and ATC Australian Oaks. He is out of a daughter of Melbourne Cup-winning sire Street Cry who won out to 2400m who has had three to race, the first of them being Dunwoody – a son of Derby winner Preferment – who won the Listed VRC St Leger (2800m) in 2023.

16.  Deal Done Fast (Dundeel x Fast Susan)
T: Matt Cumani. J: Daniel Stackhouse

By a stallion who was unplaced as favourite in the 2011 Derby but won the Sydney version and has thrown a couple of SA Derby winners in Dunkel and Femminile. Fast Susan is a daughter of Fastnet Rock who is out of a Group 2-winning American mare who is responsible for former South African Horse of the Year, Oh Susanna, and is a half-sister to the dam of G1 The Metropolitan (2400m) winner Foundry.

17.  EMERGENCY – Arabian Prince (Ghaiyyath x Princess Regina)
T: Mick Kent. J: Craig Williams

Another son of Ghaiyyath and is a homebred for Illowra Stud, who has a good run with progeny of Princess Regina, a daughter of Zabeel. Arabian Prince is the ninth to race from the mare who failed to place in seven starts but has thrown handy stayers including Listed Galilee Series Final winner Royal Crown and Oncidium Ruler, who was runner-up in that Galilee Final.

18.  EMERGENCY – Freddie Bassett (Wootton Bassett x Dargana)
T: Annabel & Rob Archibald; J:

Another by Wootton Bassett and has a strong link to that champion former shuttle stallion, who died earlier this month, through his dam. Dargana is out of the Smart Strike mare Darvaza, which makes her a half-sister to the dam of Almanzor. That French star put Wootton Bassett on the map, winning three times at the highest level as a three-year-old. Almanzor, of course, had an impact on the Derby of late, being the sire of 2022 winner Manzoice.

19.  Crack A Deel (Dundeel x Mother's Mercy)
T: Henry Dwyer. J: TBC

This $60,000 Inglis Classic purchase is by Dundeel, who has produced a double of SA Derby winners and is the father of Derby-winning sire Castelvecchio, and is closely-related to recent Classic winner.  Mother's Mercy is a daughter of Redoute's Choice and the Hussonet mare Angel Of Mercy, which makes her a three-quarter-sister to last year's ATC Australian Oaks winner Autumn Angel.

20.  Super Paradise (Street Boss x Whelk)
T: Andrew Forsman. J: TBC

An $80,000 Premier buy who is by a son of Melbourne Cup-winning sire Street Cry out of a mare who closely-related to Group 1 milers but is a daughter of Zabeel and counts Stakes-winning stayer Swords Drawn as part of the family.