A start in next month's Queensland Derby hangs in the balance for promising young stayer The Tiger.Trained by Colin and Cindy Alderson, the three-year-old needs to stage a form reversal in the Taralye Foundation Cup (2000m) at Caulfield on Saturday for connections to pay the $13,750 late entry fee into the Group One classic on June 6.The Tiger has failed to win in three runs this campaign and last start against his own age could only finish 11th to another Queensland Derby hope, Zupacool, over 2

A start in next month's Queensland Derby hangs in the balance for promising young stayer The Tiger.

Trained by Colin and Cindy Alderson, the three-year-old needs to stage a form reversal in the Taralye Foundation Cup (2000m) at Caulfield on Saturday for connections to pay the $13,750 late entry fee into the Group One classic on June 6.

The Tiger has failed to win in three runs this campaign and last start against his own age could only finish 11th to another Queensland Derby hope, Zupacool, over 2000m at Flemington on May 9.

He also disappointed against older horses with a second-up ninth to Chasm in the Listed Auckland Racing Club Handicap (1610m) on Anzac Day after running Royal Striker to a length at Moonee Valley when second when resuming on April 13.

Cindy Alderson is hoping that a gear change will bring about an improved performance.

Last spring The Tiger won the Listed Geelong Classic (2206m) wearing blinkers and he will wear them for the first time this campaign at Caulfield.

"We don't know what happened to him last start but this week we are putting the blinkers back on him and hopefully that will help," Alderson said.

"He has just taken a while to come up this time in with a few little niggling issues."

Alderson said that if the blinkers fail to spark a big improvement from The Tiger he would miss the Queensland Derby.

"It will be a bit of a test for him on Saturday to see exactly where he is at," Alderson said.

"He would virtually have to win to resurrect his (Queensland Derby) chances."

The Mark Kavanagh-trained Shocking, who is among The Tiger's Caulfield rivals, is also on trial for the Queensland Derby.

"That is one of the options to be discussed if he wins on Saturday," Kavanagh said.

"There will be only another run or two for Shocking in this campaign as I believe he is a spring-standard galloper."

Like The Tiger, Shocking was not entered for the Queensland Derby but with two wins and three placings in six starts he has already earned $70,000 to pay for the late entry fee.

Last Saturday he posted his first city success when he narrowly beat Lakonian in the Morrison Handicap (1600m) at Flemington.

Shocking is by Street Cry, the same sire as Kavanagh's headline galloper Whobegotyou.

Kavanagh said Shocking was a fierce competitor and he expected the 2000 metres to suit him.