Twelve months ago, star driver Deni Roberts had the choice of handling one of the five runners in the 2024 WA Derby prepared by champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond, and she made a wise decision, choosing Christopher Dance, who overcame the disadvantage of the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line when he charged home from last in the middle stages to win by three and a half lengths in race record time.
And this week she has surprised with her choice of the five Bond runners in the $200,000 Sky Racing WA Derby at Gloucester Park on Friday night by picking Troubadour, the least experienced runner in the race, ahead of the strongly fancied Rumble Strip, who will begin from the prized No. 1 barrier, and other stablemates Mad Monday, Belly Up and When In Vegas.
The New Zealand-bred Troubadour has raced only six times and has won three times --- the lowest tally of wins scored by his eleven rivals.
“Troubadour has drawn awkwardly at barrier four, but we think he has the most ability of the stable runners,” explained Roberts. “However, Rumble Strip (who will be driven by Stuart McDonald) should lead and give them something to chase.”
Rumble Strip, whose 14 starts have produced five wins and six seconds, had a tough run in the breeze before taking the lead 600m from home and fishing second to Mad Monday, who was sixth at the bell before finishing strongly to his the front 60m from the post.
Troubadour most recent outing was in the group 3 Western Gateway last Friday week when he was driven by McDonald and was beaten for early speed from the No. 1 barrier. He was quickly shuffled back to race in sixth position, three back on the pegs. He was badly hampered for room in the latter stages of the race and finished an unlucky eighth behind his brilliant stablemate bettor Fortune.
Bettor Fortune has not been seriously challenged in winning easily at his first six starts in WA. It was a major shock when he was not an acceptor for the big race.
Mad Monday will be driven by Liam Elliott from the unfavourable No. 8 barrier; Jack Callaghan will drive Belly Up (barrier nine) and When In Vegas will start from the outside of the back line with Tom Nally in the sulky.
Ten locally-trained three-year-olds are sure to be tested by visiting pacers Its Confidential and Sweet On Lexy, who will be making their first appearance in WA, with the Victorian-bred Its Confidential to be driven by Gary Hall jnr from the No. 3 barrier, and the New South Wales-bred Sweet On Lexy to start from barrier six with his 63-year-old trainer Bernie Hewitt in the sulky.
Hewitt is in splendid form, having trained and driven three winners --- Flash Azarat, Something For Lexy and Yottie --- at Bathurst on Wednesday. Something For Lexy, a three-year-old filly and a $10 chance, is raced by Lex Crosby, who also bred and owns Sweet On Lexy.
Sweet On Lexy has won at eleven of his 29 starts, the latest being in the group 1 $150,000 Breeders Crown over 1609m at Menangle last Saturday when he settled down in fifth position before moving to the breeze after about 550m and fighting on to finish third behind the pacemaker Double Lou, who dashed over the quarters in 26.6sec., 29.3sec., 26.6sec. and 27.4sec. His previous five starts produced two wins and three seconds.
Its Confidential, a winner at ten of his 21 starts, has begun from the back line at Melton at his past outings for a win at a 1.53 rate over 2240m and two thirds over 2760m.
In the Victoria Derby last Friday week, he pulled hard when racing three back on the pegs and was held up until he was eased into the clear 250m from home and fought on to finish a sound third to the frontrunning Fox Dan, who rated 1.54.9, with final 400m sections in 27.7sec. and 27.8sec.
Hall, who has won the WA Derby six times, described Its Confidential as an all-round decent horse who looks pretty tough.
Hall’s father Gary Hall snr has trained six winners of the Derby, the most recent being Skylou, who was driven to victory by Maddison Brown in 2023. Hall snr has two runners, Fakenit (barrier two) and Chae Me (inside of the back line).
Fakenit, the only filly in the event and brilliant winner of the WA Oaks two starts ago, will be driven by Brown, while Trent Wheeler has been engaged for Chase me, a winner at seven of his 14 starts.
Aiden De Campo, who drove Handsandwheels to victory in the 2017 Derby, is looking for a strong performance from Runkle Crunch, who will start from barrier two on the back line. “He seems to be hitting his straps at the right time,” said De Campo. Trainer-reinsman Dylan Egerton-Green said that his colt Captain Stirling faced a difficult task from out wide at barrier seven.
