|
Trainer Chris Gibbs is adamant Vodafone Derby favourite Danzdanzdance is in the best form of her short career heading into Saturday's classic at Ellerslie.
Which is as much a relief as it is a thrill for the Ruakaka trainer chasing his first Derby win.
Gibbs trains the lightly-raced favourite for the race with Donna Logan, who is taking time out from setting up the Singapore arm of the stable to be at Ellerslie for the race.
Logan has already trained a Derby winner but that was before Gibbs joined her in partnership and he now has the opportunity to emulate his father, training great Jim Gibbs, in training a filly to win the Derby. His dad achieved that goal with Tidal Light 32 years ago.
For Chris Gibbs one of his biggest battles on the road to the Derby has already been won.
"We were worried about getting her there at her peak because there isn't a lot of her," he admits.
"And because of that we thought she could have gone either of two ways mentally and physically.
"But the good news is, so far, she has handled everything brilliantly and has actually thrived.
"She has worked brilliantly and I couldn't be happier with her so I am confident she will be even a better filly this week than she was last start."
That was when Danzdanzdance stormed into second behind On The Rocks in the Avondale Guineas, only her fourth start.
The track was extremely testing that day suggesting the 2100m would have been almost as testing as this Saturday's 2400m.
While there could be rain before Saturday it is unlikely to be as brutal on the three-year-olds again but Gibbs says some moisture wouldn't bother Danzdanzdance.
"We think she will handle give in the ground whereas some of the others might not.
"And they could enjoy a firmer track, so if it comes up dead to soft we don't mind."
Danzdanzdance's smooth pathway to the classic extended when she drew barrier seven yesterday, likely to start from barrier six. Of her key rivals On The Rocks drew four, Mission Hill midfield at barrier 11 (likely to start from 10) but the big loser appeared to be Karaka Classic winner Scott Base.
He will start from barrier 16 if the scratchings come out, suggesting he will settle back again, as he did in the Classic and when fourth in the Avondale Guineas.
While he will have Derby star Vinnie Colgan riding, he still faces circling a capacity field and it wouldn't surprise to see him drift further than his $5.80 equal second favouritism quote, a far cry from the $3.50 he was just two weeks ago.
Danzdanzdance was rated the $4.20 clear favourite by the TAB last night.
Another to not fare well in the draw was Australian visitor Civil Disobedience, the first New Zealand starter for champion trainer Darren Weir.
He has copped barrier 17 (start from 15) with Ben Allen in the saddle.
Meanwhile, Gavin Parker has been robbed of an early chance of a Group One runner with the sale of the gifted three-year-old Xbox to offshore interests.
The Matamata horseman and his training partner Graham Richardson had the son of Niagara set for Saturday's Derby but his new owners opted not to accept for the Ellerslie feature. "He's going to Hong Kong and they didn't want to run him," Parker said.
"I was bit miffed about that, I was going to have a Group One runner in my first full season of training."
Xbox won three of his eight starts, including the Gr.2 Waikato Guineas (2000m) at his last appearance. He also finished runner-up in the Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m) before Christmas.
Xbox was bred by equine photographer Trish Dunell, who also shared in the ownership.
• The connections of Secret Ambition are approaching Saturday's Derby with more hope than confidence. However, one thing trainers Bruce Wallace and Allan Peard are sure of is the Jimmy Choux colt's ability to run the trip.
"He'll stay all day, the distance isn't a problem – we just have to see if he's good enough," Peard said.
Secret Ambition was placed in the Auckland Salver (2100m), but has since finished well back in the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) and the Avondale Guineas (2100m).
"We were a bit disappointed with him in the Million, and in the Guineas he was ridden upside down," Peard said. "He's better ridden a bit colder."
- Additional reporting NZ Racing Desk
|