Bryan Guy and John Moore team up for shot at Group 1 glory with Derby favourite Eagle Way

JOHN Moore has never prepared a Group 1 winner in Australia but Gold Coast trainer Bryan Guy is hoping he can provide him with the next best thing in this Saturday’s Queensland Derby.

Eagle Way books himself a Queensland Derby tilt with a dominant win at Caloundra earlier this year. Picture: Grant Peters Trackside Photography

JOHN Moore has never prepared a Group 1 winner in Australia but Gold Coast trainer Bryan Guy is hoping he can provide him with the next best thing in this Saturday’s Queensland Derby at Eagle Farm.

Equal Derby favourite Eagle Way is owned outright by the champion Hong Kong trainer and Guy is eager to give the Australian-born Moore a victory to remember in his home country.

“When Eagle Way won the 1800m three-year-old race at Caloundra back in January John said ‘what would you do with him’?” Guy recalls.

“I said ‘I think he is a Queensland Derby horse after his win today’ and John to his word said ‘I can’t train a Group 1 winner in Australia so I may as well own one, so you keep him and get him ready’.

“That’s how he is still here and let’s hope we can get him a Group 1 winner in Australia.”

It would be special moment for Moore if Eagle Way salutes this Saturday but perhaps it will be even sweeter for Guy.

The last of Guy’s three Group 1 wins came 20 years ago with Ravarda in the 1996 George Ryder Stakes and the 61-year-old admits he will have an extra spring in his step this week.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve had a horse with a live chance in a Group 1 and I’m really looking forward to it,” he said.

“The horse is going terrific and I’m very happy with him.

“I got him out there on the track early Saturday morning and we were able to give him the work out he needed, so everything is good.”

Eagle Way, who will be ridden by Tommy Berry this Saturday, firmed for the Derby on the back of his eye-catching second in the Grand Prix Stakes (2200m) at Doomben last month.

He has run on strongly at all four runs this campaign and Guy can’t wait to get him to Eagle Farm.

“When they walked in the Grand Prix I thought he would finish off and run fourth or fifth but the last 100 yards he really put in and found the line,” he said.

Guy revealed this will be Eagle Way’s last start for the stable before he is transferred to Moore in Hong Kong.

“John will get him ready for the Hong Kong Derby next year,” Guy said.

Meanwhile, Guy is currently preparing two horses for Aquis Farm in a sign the two parties are back on good terms after their split earlier this year.