Brilliant colt Broadsiding won’t press on to Saturday’s Group 1 Victoria Derby at Flemington

Cox Plate placegetter Broadsiding will bypass the Group 1 Victoria Derby at Flemington on Saturday and head to Champions Day instead.

Golden Rose winner Broadsiding won’t press on to the Victoria Derby

Boom Godolphin colt Broadsiding will get shot at Group 1 glory against older horses on Saturday week at Flemington.

The Champions Stakes (2000m) is the most likely option, but trainer James Cummings said the Champions Mile (1600m) would also be considered.

Cummings toyed with running Broadsiding, placed third in the Cox Plate last Saturday, in the Group 1 Victoria Derby but Champions Day options made commercial sense.

Broadsiding, the champion two-year-old last season and a three-time Group 1 winner already, will join the Darley stallions’ roster at the end of his racing career.

“I’d have loved for us to run the horse in the Derby but considerations need to be made for the horse’s prospects at stud, in his next life,” Cummings said.

Broadsiding to Champions Day next - Mile or Stakes, no Victoria Derby as expected. @JamesCummings88@godolphin
Zardozi to @MelbourneCup with Andrea Atzeni aboard again. @[e-mail]/YkiEEDbSUe

— Gilbert Gardiner (@gilbertgardiner) October 28, 2024

“For that reason the horse is going to refrain from running over a mile-and-a-half, which is a shame for him, because I really think he could’ve won that race (Victoria Derby).

“It’s something we’ll never know, for this VRC Derby, but he’s bursting to run again and he’d be nevertheless well placed in one of the weight-for-age races on the final day.

“We might be leaning towards the Champions Stakes at the moment, but he could easily run in the Champions Mile… we’ll look at both of those options.

“We’ll have a think about which one will suit him the most, but he pulled up beautifully from that run in the Cox Plate… and he would look beautiful at Flemington.

“On a beautiful big spacious track in Melbourne Cup Week when the eyes of the world will be watching.”

Broadsiding will miss Saturday’s Victoria Derby

Broadsiding is a $4.50 second favourite with Ladbrokes for the Champions Stakes behind Cox Plate champion Via Sistina ($2.20).

A decision has yet to be made publicly on whether Via Sistina, favourite for the Melbourne Cup, proceeds to the race that stops a nation.

Broadsiding is $7 for the Champions Mile behind Mr Brightside ($3.60), Fangirl ($4.80) and Antino ($5.50).

The three-year-old competed strongly in the Cox Plate last start, beating all but the rampaging Via Sistina and Japanese star Prognosis.

“First and foremost it was an excellent effort from the three-year-old on the weekend to be so game, a testing 2040m race in the Cox Plate,” Cummings said.

“He was really rock solid in the race and there’s so much more to come from Broadsiding, I think having seen him the past couple of days he’s… bursting to run again.

“He’ll be a fascinating horse, wherever he turns up at Flemington next week… he’s already a horse with an amazing reputation.”

Star jockey Jamie Kah is booked to ride Broadsiding on Champions Day.

Originally published as Brilliant colt Broadsiding won’t press on to Saturday’s Group 1 Victoria Derby at Flemington