Big Col's connections have taken a $35,000 gamble by paying the late entry fee to get the colt into the AJC Australian Derby.Prepared by Peter Gelagotis at Moe, Big Col had been considered for a trip to Perth for Saturday's $500,000 WATC Derby (2400m) at Ascot.When his flight to Perth was cancelled last week and a call was received from the AJC saying the colt would get a start in the $1.6 million Australian Derby, plans were changed.Raced by a group of 10 including former AFL champion Greg Will

Big Col's connections have taken a $35,000 gamble by paying the late entry fee to get the colt into the AJC Australian Derby.

Prepared by Peter Gelagotis at Moe, Big Col had been considered for a trip to Perth for Saturday's $500,000 WATC Derby (2400m) at Ascot.

When his flight to Perth was cancelled last week and a call was received from the AJC saying the colt would get a start in the $1.6 million Australian Derby, plans were changed.

Raced by a group of 10 including former AFL champion Greg Williams, Big Col had been a $44,000 weanling before Gelagotis' brother, the managing owner of the colt, paid $150,000 for him at a Magic Millions ready-to-run sale at the Gold Coast.

Trainer Gerald Ryan, a good friend of Williams, originally trained Big Col as he could not be transported to Victoria during the equine influenza crisis.

While with Ryan he ran second to $4 equal Derby favourite Metal Bender in a 900m Rosehill barrier trial on September 2 last year before pulling up shinsore behind another Derby contender, Rock Kingdom, in a Kembla Grange maiden on debut.

Big Col has had four runs for Gelagotis for two wins and a third, including a solid victory over WATC Derby contender Markus Maximus in the Heroic Hcp (2000m) at Caulfield on March 28.

"I believe in the horse. I think he's improved three or four lengths and he handles the wet," Gelagotis said.

"He's an exciting horse, he's the best horse I've had."

Gelagotis said the colt, who is from the family of 1991 Victoria Oaks and Thousand Guineas winner Richfield Lady, arrived at Ryan's Rosehill stables on Sunday and had settled in well.

Luke Nolen will ride the Peter Moody-trained Markus Maximus in the WATC Derby while Golden Slipper winning jockey Brad Rawiller will fly to Perth to ride the David Hayes-trained Berlioz.

The Zabeel colt was ridden by Steven Parnham when he finished third behind Phenomenons and Almohad at his first Perth outing in the Melvista Stakes (2200m) at Ascot on March 28.