A Victoria Derby win by either of the two Darley runners, Retrieve and Yulalona, will have special significance with owner Sheikh Mohammed slated to attend Flemington on Saturday.Rekindled Interest's win in Saturday's AAMI Vase elevated him to $3.30 favouritism ahead of Retrieve at $3.70 while Yulalona remained at $21 on Sunday.But Darley's managing director Henry Plumptre and head trainer Peter Snowden left no doubt Yulalona wasn't in the race just to make up the numbers when questioned by stew

A Victoria Derby win by either of the two Darley runners, Retrieve and Yulalona, will have special significance with owner Sheikh Mohammed slated to attend Flemington on Saturday.

Rekindled Interest's win in Saturday's AAMI Vase elevated him to $3.30 favouritism ahead of Retrieve at $3.70 while Yulalona remained at $21 on Sunday.

But Darley's managing director Henry Plumptre and head trainer Peter Snowden left no doubt Yulalona wasn't in the race just to make up the numbers when questioned by stewards on Saturday.

The two fronted the panel following what was supposed to be taken as an offhanded remark by Plumptre in a television interview after Retrieve won the Norman Robinson Stakes.

Stewards queried the comment by Plumptre that "we'll probably run the other horse in it as well just to make sure we do get the pace".

Chief steward Terry Bailey said it gave the impression a pacemaker could be used which is against the rules in Australia.

"It was tongue in cheek and supposed to be light hearted," Plumptre told stewards.

"We think about Yulalona as a serious Derby horse.

"The boss will be here, there's no chance we'll be running one that doesn't have a chance."

Bailey said stewards were satisfied the remark was made in jest.

Snowden said Yulalona was not a "tearaway" leader but a natural on pace runner.

Yulalona sat just behind the leaders and hit the line hard to win the Dulcify Quality (1800m) on September 25 before his fourth to Retrieve in the Norman Robinson three weeks later.

Kerrin McEvoy will ride Retrieve in the Derby at his first major meeting for many months after recuperating from a broken vertebra suffered in a race fall in June.

Josh Parr was aboard Retrieve when he went down to stablemate Erewhon in a fighting finish to the Group One Spring Champion Stakes earlier this month while Mark Zahra rode him in the Norman Robinson at Caulfield.

Sheikh Mohammed's European Godolphin operation may have to rely on Campanologist in the Melbourne Cup with emerging stayer Holberg not certain to make the field.