Hierarchy has been scratched from Saturday's $3 million Victoria Derby, leaving Cormier and Stormy Marco to share favouritism after the barrier draw.
The $3 million Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington on Saturday has lost one of its runners. The Freedman brothers' Hierarchy was scratched on Thursday, and the market has now settled on two Sydney colts.
Cormier and Stormy Marco share favouritism
Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich's Cormier and Chris Waller's Stormy Marco are both around the $4.40 to $4.60 mark. Earlier in the week, Vase winner True Rebel shared top billing; he has eased slightly to around $8.
The two favourites come from the same Sydney form. Cormier was third and Stormy Marco fourth behind the unbeaten filly Proxima Dea in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick last Saturday. Cormier finished about a length and a quarter in front of his rival there.
The draw
The two favourites drew very differently. Jamie Mott has a nice run from barrier 3 on Cormier. James McDonald on Stormy Marco is out in 16 and will most likely settle back and come with one run. True Rebel (Billy Egan) is in 17, and Geelong Classic winner Murshidi is the widest of all in 18.
The main runners and barriers:
- Cormier – barrier 3 (Jamie Mott)
- King Snitz – barrier 6 (Damian Lane)
- Icy You – barrier 10 (Craig Williams)
- Quick Finish (filly, 55kg) – barrier 11 (Jye McNeil)
- Cignetti – barrier 12 (William Pike)
- Skua – barrier 13 (John Allen)
- Vallice – barrier 14 (Mark Zahra)
- True Tone – barrier 15 (Jason Collett)
- Stormy Marco – barrier 16 (James McDonald)
- True Rebel – barrier 17 (Billy Egan)
- Murshidi – barrier 18 (Blake Shinn)
Meet The Prince and Locked In are the emergencies.
Maher's three-pronged attack
Ciaron Maher runs three: Murshidi, Vallice and Skua. Skua was second to True Rebel in the Vase. Vallice was beaten a nose by King Snitz in the Caulfield Classic, with Cignetti a head away third.
The punting angle
The 2500m trip is new territory for most of these three-year-olds, so stamina is the real question. The draw matters too. Cormier's inside gate should let him sit handy and save ground, while the wide-drawn Stormy Marco and True Rebel will need some luck from back in the field. If the track stays around a Good 4, look for a horse that can travel and save ground rather than one that has to make up lots of ground late.
The Derby is Race 7 on Saturday's card, scheduled for 4:20pm.