Victoria Derby 2016: Matt Stewart elevates Sacred Elixir to top of class in blue ribband classic

PODCAST: DRINK in the special history of the Victoria Derby and Tony Pike’s Kiwi colt comes out on top, writes Herald Sun’s Matt Stewart.

DRINK in the special history of the Victoria Derby and Tony Pike’s Kiwi colt comes out on top, writes Herald Sun’s Matt Stewart.

$1.5m AAMI VICTORIA DERBY

Flemington, Saturday 3.50pm

1 SACRED ELIXIR T Pike Z Purton (1) 55.5kg

2 PRIZED ICON J Cummings G Schofield (5) 55.5kg

3 SWEAR M, W & J Hawkes T Berry (10) 55.5kg

4 ROCKETEER M Price M Zahra (19) 55.5kg

5 MORVADA P Jolly S Arnold (12) 55.5kg

6 INFERENCE M, W & J Hawkes D Dunn (20) 55.5kg

7 CAPTAIN DUFFY P Stokes C Newitt (2) 55.5kg

8 SILVERA T McEvoy K McEvoy (13) 55.5kg

9 WINE BUSH C Waller J Moreira (17) 55.5kg

10 SO SI BON R Laing H Bowman (11) 55.5kg

11 KENT J O’Shea J McDonald (4) 55.5kg

12 HIGHLAD M Baker & A Forsman C Williams (15) 55.5kg

13 BEACH LIFE C Maher N Hall (8) 55.5kg

14 TUMULTUOUS C Waller B Melham (18) 55.5kg

15 HOLLYWOOD MO P Perry S Baster (6) 55.5kg

16 ALL OUT OF LOVE D & B Hayes & T Dabernig B Shinn (9) 55.5kg

17e PETER JOHN J Sargent M Walker (3) 55.5kg

18e ANAHEIM T Busuttin & N Young — (14) 55.5kg

19e SHINE TAK STAR J Sargent — (16) 55.5kg

20e ZOFFMAN A Purcell — (7) 55.5kg

MATT STEWART, DANNY RUSSELL AND CHRIS VERNUCCIO TALK DERBY DAY

THE FACTORS

Track: Good 3

Rail: True

Forecast: 25C

THE SPEED

Should be reasonable with MORVADA and CAPTAIN DUFFY pushing forward. SACRED ELIXIR should get a nice run just off the pace. HOLLYWOOD MO should also push forward.

THE SKINNY

SACRED ELIXIR

If Derbies are won on pedigree — which is half true, most of the time — then hand him the trophy. He’s by an English Derby winner, closely related to a Melbourne Cup winner (Brew). And, he’s a quality gelding who powerfully won the key lead-up. Entitled to warm favouritism.

PRIZED ICON

There’s pedigree here too, but mainly with the trainer, the grandson of Bart Cummings. Needs to find a few lengths on plain fifth to Sacred Elixir at the Valley.

SWEAR

Lightly raced, seems a natural stayer, and in the proven Hawkes camp, which has won this race twice. Beat all but Yankee Rose in Sydney last start and the Rose ran a bottler in the Cox Plate.

ROCKETEER

Bred to sprint but has been strong to the line as the distances have increased. Still, would require lots of favours to run this trip right out and has drawn the car park.

MORVADA

Owes the trainer a big win as almost killed him with a kick to the head some months ago. Beaten a half length at big odds by Sacred Elixir last start. On face value, gives him some chance.

INFERENCE

By former champion So You Think, whose progeny look like stayers. Sense of timing with his rate of improvement, similar to Tarzino last year. Chance.

CAPTAIN DUFFY

Raced away in so-so lead-up at Geelong where on-pace bias flattered the win. Place at best.

SILVERA

Stuck on OK behind Sacred Elixir last start but it wasn’t good enough to make him competitive here.

WINE BUSH

Beat rival Rocketeer two starts back but so-so last start. Place best.

Ideal Derby trial: Damian Lane and Sacred Elixir take out the Vase at Moonee Valley last weekend.

SO SI BON

Trainer was worried about wet track last week so run was good. Will get firmer ground here and trainer won this race with Polanski few years back. Leading chance.

KENT

Not showing enough.

HIGHLAD

Had been tracking along OK before fading effort at Caulfield. If anyone can find a way his legendary trainer Murray Baker can, but needs to lift.

BEACH LIFE

Even enough effort last start when stuck on OK. His trainer has a knack with stayers. That said, it would be a masterstroke winning this with this gelding.

TUMULTUOUS

Made incredible late ground on leader-biased track at Geelong. On face value that’s not good enough but Chris Waller won this with Preferment a few years ago and he also came off a fast-closing defeat at Geelong.

HOLLYWOOD MO

Pedigree says and worked to the wire OK at Geelong. Place?

ALL OUT OF LOVE

Just whacked away at Geelong. Not keen.

PETER JOHN (e)

Trainer has a knack with Derby and Oaks horses but a last start Class 1 winner at Canberra. Hmmm.

ANAHEIM (e)

Lightly raced and improving — and has a stout pedigree — but no.

SHINE TAK STAR (e)

Who?

ZOFFMAN (e)

Will stick on — but very slowly.

TAKE A LINE

MOONEE VALLEY VASE (2040m), October 22

SACRED ELIXIR (1st) settled behind the leaders and travelled well but was held up early in the straight before bursting through for powerful win. MORVADA (2nd) tried to lead throughout on a day which played to swoopers and he fought on strongly. SO SI BON (3rd) settled midfield and looked a winning chance but still ran on well. PRIZED ICON (5th) knuckled at the start and suffered interference with 450m to go before working home fairly well. SILVERA (7th) was always wide. Made a run before the turn but lost ground around it.

CAULFIELD CLASSIC (2000m), October 15

ROCKETEER (2nd) was held up for a run but sprinted home quickly. INFERENCE (3rd) was trapped wide and was then in a bumping duel in the but when he balanced up he flew home. BEACH LIFE (4th) settled last and worked home well out wide. WINE BUSH (5th) had a tough run as he had to work early and was wide facing the breeze. KENT (8th) was slowly away and settled well back but finished off reasonably. HIGHLAD (9th) had an horrendous run as he was trapped four wide early and then had to press on into the breeze.

MATT STEWART TIPS

1 SACRED ELIXIR

2 Swear

3 So Si Bon

4 Beach Life

Originally published as Victoria Derby 2016: Matt Stewart elevates Sacred Elixir to top of class in blue ribband classic