Promising three-year-old Southern Skye will be trainer Paul Perry's first Victoria Derby runner after turning in a super trial in the Geelong Classic.Jockey Dan Nikolic rode for luck from the back of the field in Wednesday's 2206m feature and took a needle-eye opening in the home straight to score by a neck from New Zealand raider Our Heir Apparent who looked the winner at the top of the straight.The Danny O'Brien-trained Rockferry was chopped out trying for a run at the 300 metres and was anoth

Promising three-year-old Southern Skye will be trainer Paul Perry's first Victoria Derby runner after turning in a super trial in the Geelong Classic.

Jockey Dan Nikolic rode for luck from the back of the field in Wednesday's 2206m feature and took a needle-eye opening in the home straight to score by a neck from New Zealand raider Our Heir Apparent who looked the winner at the top of the straight.

The Danny O'Brien-trained Rockferry was chopped out trying for a run at the 300 metres and was another eye-catching Derby trial, finishing 1-1/4 lengths away third.

Last year Rebel Raider won the Victoria Derby after finishing third in the Geelong lead-up but Haymaker (1974) was the last of three horses to win both races.

Shannon Perry said his father had never had a Derby runner but was confident that Southern Skye could earn his place in the field at Geelong.

"As soon as he loaded him on the float he just said `Just look after this horse and we will be having our first Derby runner'," Perry said.

"What a beauty.

"We have been all around the world and it's our first Derby so this is great."

Southern Skye has won three of his 12 starts but would have a better record but for his inability to handle rain-affected ground.

Last start he finished 10th to Monaco Consul in the Group One Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) on a bog track at Randwick.

Southern Skye was a big Derby shortener with bookmakers with as much as $26 on offer before his Geelong Classic win.

"We were hoping for a bit of luck in the straight and no-one in Australia is riding as well as Danny Nikolic," Perry said.

Nikolic said he would decide after riding Spacecraft for O'Brien in Saturday's AAMI Vase at Moonee Valley whether he would stick with Southern Skye in the Derby on October 31.

He said Southern Skye impressed him with the way he finished off and predicted he would have no trouble with the Derby distance of 2500m.

"He will run the trip and he will be a very good ride," Nikolic said.

He said he had to search for a run in the home straight on Southern Skye when held up behind Our Heir Apparent.

"I had cover up until the top of the straight and just as the New Zealand horse went past me, he got in slightly and I had to look for a run.

"When he got the run he put paid to them pretty good."