Victoria Derby 2018: Suburban footballers behind Stars Of Carrum dare to dream of Group 1 glory

FOUR decades on from back-to-back suburban premierships a band of ex-Carrum footballers could hold aloft another prized piece of silverware — the $2m Group 1 Victoria Derby.

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FOUR decades on from back-to-back suburban premierships a band of ex-Carrum footballers could hold aloft another prized piece of silverware — the $2 million Victoria Derby.

Stars Of Carrum part-owner Peter Cox conned his ragtag “footy mates” into buying into the horse with an inspired — potentially — prophetic spiel at a bayside barbecue.

His sales pitch was short and sweet, to the point, laced with promise, and capped with an expletive-laden animated cartoon found on YouTube.

VOTE NOW: WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE RACEHORSE?

“He’s given us a good run for our money so far and I’m so glad that he won (last start at the Valley) ... because I roped in all these other footballers,” Cox told the Herald Sun.

“When I gave the spiel to them about 14 months ago I gatecrashed a barbecue, turned the music off and I said, ‘I’m going to bore you for five minutes’.

“I said, ‘I’ve got a horse here, I’d like you to get involved, it will win the 2020 Melbourne Cup, so jump on board’.”

Ben Melham returns to scale after winning on Stars Of Carrum. Picture: Nicole Garmston

For many, the Robbie Laing-trained three-year-old son of Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente was their first foray into horse ownership.

The $2000 shares (2.5 per cent) went quicker than the snags on the hot plate as some of Carrum’s finest, who led the club to 33 consecutive wins, including the 1973-74 premierships, shelled out their hard-earned for the Inglis Premier Sales graduate with a bright future.

The punt paid off last Saturday at the Valley, with Stars Of Carrum crunched from $201 to $11 for the Flemington feature after surging from near-last to win the Group 2 Vase at $51.

Thankfully, “a couple” had a lick at $201 for the Derby after Laing all but declared the emerging stayer several weeks ago.

Stars Of Carrum stormed home to win the Moonee Valley Vase. Picture: Getty Images

“As they say, a racehorse owner gets a little bag of dreams with every horse,” the ex-newspaper photographer Cox said. “Well, you pull out those little dreams and it certainly helps me not sleep this week as we lay back thinking what possibly could be.”

But living in St Kilda, a furlong or two from Luna Park, has taught Cox an invaluable lesson about horse ownership.

“It’s a big rollercoaster ride,” Cox said.

“Half these people have never owned a racehorse ... so you just think ‘how easy this is?’.

“I have not made a dollar out of a horse yet, I’m in the red in all of them, we’re still in the red with this horse but it’s showing a bit more potential than many of the others.”

Jockey Hugh Bowman and trainer Robbie Laing tasted Victoria Derby success in 2013 with Polanski. Picture: Colleen Petch

Laing hasn’t softened his appraisal of Stars Of Carrum, either.

“I can’t see it getting beat,” Laing said.

“All he wants to do is relax during his races, he ran his last 200m quicker than Winx on Saturday, so he’s getting better and better.”

The last time Laing was this bullish about a Derby prospect he won the race with Polanski.

As for the animated cartoon — which sealed the deal — well, Cox plans on sharing the link again this week to lighten the mood.

“We’re all getting a bit serious,” Cox said.

“Whatever happens Saturday is cream on the cake.”

STARRY EYED

Stars Of Carrum

3yo Colt

Sire: Fiorente (IRE)

Dam: Signoret

Cost: $75,000

Record: 8 starts: 1-2-0

Prizemoney: $164,355

Pocketed: $120,000 winning Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase (2040m)

Next stop? $2 million Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) (1st: $1.2 million 2nd: $360,000 3rd: $180,000)

TAB BETTING FLUCTUATIONS

$201 on September 25 — after official nominations

$101 September 28

$51 September 28

$26 October 13

$13 October 27

$13 October 30 — after barrier draw

$11 October 30

$10 Yesterday

BIG BET: $180 at $201 for a $36,180 potential collect

ODDS: TAB

Written By ready to rip

Michael Manley

GRAHAME Begg says his star three-year-old colt Written By has had “a near faultless preparation” for Saturday’s Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington as he aims to take his winning record to seven wins from eight starts.

Begg said Written By had his final fast gallop over 800m at Pinecliff yesterday morning and his jockey Jordan Childs couldn’t be happier with him.

“Jordan is a man of few words and he just said he couldn’t be any better,” Begg said.

Last Friday, Begg took Written By to Flemington for a jump-out down the straight and was pleased with how he handled the track. He said he and his father, Hall of Fame trainer Neville, had mapped out a path to the Coolmore Stud Stakes after Written By finished fourth in the Golden Slipper Stakes in March.

“Everything has been aimed at this race. We’ve timed our run for Saturday,” he said.

The Coolmore Stud Stakes is known as a stallion-making race and Begg said they had received several inquiries from studs about him. “I’ve been telling studs that we’d revisit after the spring. There’s no rush to do anything,” Begg said.