LUCKILY, Queensland Derby favourite Survived is a better galloper than looks suggest
LUCKILY, Queensland Derby favourite Survived is a better galloper than looks suggest and trainer John Bary is excited about his prospects ahead of Saturday's Rough Habit Plate, reports the Brisbane Courier-Mail.
It says: Survived heads Derby markets on the strength of his Awapuni Group 3 win over Usainity - a rival on Saturday - and Platinum Kingdom in March, as both of those horses have since won stakes races in Sydney.
Survived bypassed Sydney and instead tuned up for his Queensland mission with an easy Group 3 win against older horses over 2200m at Hastings last month.
He is scheduled to fly in to Brisbane today, but going by Bary's assessment, don't expect an oil painting.
"He's pretty non-descript. He's a raw-boned chestnut. Nothing striking, nothing imposing about him, but he's got raw natural talent," Bary said.
"He's not a big imposing horse like The Hombre was, but he just does it and keeps stepping up.