Last year's NSW Trotters Derby winner Gatesys Gem will make her first appearance as a four-year-old in the Bulli Trotters Cup at Menangle this Saturday night. Photo by Club Menangle
Exciting gelding Keayang Bazlenka can continue the recent Victorian dominance in the NSW Trotters Derby when he chases a first up win the Group 1 $75,000 classic at Menangle on Saturday night.
Victorian stables have won the last five runnings of the Derby with the last three taken out by fillies including Keayang Bazlenka's brilliant stablemate Keayang Zahara two years ago.
A low draw (two) should give Keayang Bazlenka every chance to strike one back for the boys after he emerged as the leading southern juvenile of last season, winning seven of eight starts including the Vicbred Super Series and Breeders Crown finals, the latter when he was last seen in December.
While going into a Group 1 first up presents as a challenge, he is two from two when fresh and the Lee stable certainly knows how to win a trotting feature
He was readied with two trials - beating Group 1 performed mare Jilliby Dreamlover in winning the latest - and he is a gelding with plenty of upside.
Redwood Classic winner Notanotha Naughty has had six weeks off since landing another feature in the Gold Coronet at Bathurst, coming from the back row to win by nearly 8m.
He has been kept up to the mark with a trial and it is worth noting he is the only horse to have beaten Keayang Bazlenka.
Howdy Mate has been mixing both his manners and his form this time in but was better last start.
He was runner-up to Keayang Bazlenka in both the Breeders Crown and Vicbred finals last season and draws well.
Munny The Munster was too good when he worked but toughed out a fresh win at Shepparton. He was Group 1 placed last season and should be improved.
Last year's NSW Trotters Derby winner Gatesys Gem will make her first appearance as a four-year-old when she chases a resuming win in the Bulli Trotters Cup on the Menangle program.
The Glenn Hunter-trained mare has been ultra consistent throughout her career and went through her three-year-old season without missing a place, last seen when third in December's Breeders Crown 3F final.
She is two from two over the distance (2300m) at Menangle having added last year's NSW Oaks to her Derby win and while she has limited experience from the standing start she was runner-up in her lone attempt in the Redwood Classic as a juvenile.
She races well fresh and should be ready to go off three Melton trials, placing in each.
Fellow Victorian Imperial Monarch could pose the biggest challenge as he is race fit and looks close to a win after three straight placings, the last two at Menangle.
The switch to the standing start may suit as he won the Geelong Cup under those conditions in March.
Kyvalley Maven is another with the hoof on the till having placed in his three starts at Menangle since joining Jarrod Alchin, coming from a wide barrier to miss by a nose over the same distance last week.
Speedy Lover was the horse that beat him there and he wil he cops a 20m handicap he is accomplished at the standing start so looks an each way hope again.
