Gravitational has lots of pull in Derby quest

GRAVITATIONAL, so brave in winning the Hot100 Darwin Guineas a fortnight ago, bids to continue his quest for the SKYCITY Triple Crown in today’s $135,000 SKYCITY Darwin NT Derby at Fannie Bay.

Darwin Cup, Guineas.Paul Shiers brings Gravitational back to scale after taking out the Darwin Guineas.

GRAVITATIONAL, so brave in winning the Hot100 Darwin Guineas a fortnight ago, bids to continue his quest for the SKYCITY Triple Crown in today’s $135,000 SKYCITY Darwin NT Derby at Fannie Bay.

One of two representatives from the stable of leading trainer Gary Clarke — himself chasing his first Derby victory — Gravitational created a big impression first-up when a big-finishing second to Relay on 21 June, and in a stop-start Guineas a fortnight later, proved the toughest in a slogging finish.

The attractive son of Astronomer Royal, owned by Ultra Racing and Viv Oldfield’s G & C Pastoral Co Pty Ltd, will no doubt be suited by the extra 400m of the Derby, and it seems almost certain that the Blue Riband will be run at a truer pace than the Guineas, another positive for Gravitational.

The winner of three of his 16 career starts and over $130,000 in stakes, Gravitational will have the added advantage of leading hoop Paul Shiers in the saddle, and when it comes to winning three-year-old features, there is no-one better.

Shiers has won four Derbies — Brad Star (2007), Hawks Bay (2009), The Ruffian (2011) and Host Of The Party last year — and if he is to break that biennial winning sequence, Gravitational provides him with an undeniable chance today. And should he take out the 2000m feature, Gravitational will have one hoof on the $100,000 ­Triple Crown Bonus awarded to any horse that can win the Guineas, Derby and Carlton Mid Darwin Cup.

But he will not have it all his own way in what is the best Derby field assembled in many a year. Collectively, the 12 runners, excluding emergencies, have won in excess of $500,000 in stakes and 21 races between them.

Stablemate Storm Approach, Guineas runner-up Royal Request, Little Red Devil, in-form Pippingarra and Slew Left, not to mention Clarke’s third representative Port Hercule (who requires a scratching to regain the field) add quality to quantity in the capacity ­­line-up.

Storm Approach, like Gravitational, has had two runs in Darwin for a good second first-up over an unsuitable 1200m and a brave third in the Guineas. He will no doubt be improved for his last outing, and with the addition of blinkers he looms as a major threat to his stablemate.

Royal Request has a great track record, having won twice and been placed second on two occasions from his only four starts at Fannie Bay and has been set for this race.

Little Red Devil was also an eye-catcher in the Guineas when a close-up fourth

His stablemate Pippingarra, who won his way into the Derby when scoring over 1600m last weekend, is a young horse on the up.

Slew Left, trained by Mick Templeton at Moe, will find this trip to his liking, having won over 2400m in February. And Port Hercule, the winner of his last two outings in Darwin, will add further to the puzzle should he regain the field.