Promising three year old stayer Tangled has had a straight forward preparation heading into Saturday’s Group 1 $1.5m AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington.
Ace High, above, is the early favourite for the 2017 Victoria Derby at Flemington. Photo by Steve Hart.
Tangled could give Sydney’s premiership winning trainer Chris Waller his second victory in the Victoria Derby after Preferment claimed the top prize in 2014.
The Snitzel colt will wear the winkers for the first time on Saturday and heads into the race on the back a second to Ace High in the Group 1 $500,000 Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on October 7 and a second to Cliff’s Edge in the Group 3 $350,000 Ladbrokes Classic (2000m) at Caulfield on October 21.
Tangled wore the winkers in his work out at Flemington Tuesday morning and Waller had only positive thoughts for the three year old colt.
“He worked well in the winkers and he’ll wear them in the Derby,” Waller said.
“I feel he’s had a good preparation for a Derby. He’s a nice strong horse, well-bred. He’s got a good attitude and we’ve got a good in-form jockey.
“So there’s a lot to like about Tangled heading into the Derby.”
“He’s a very masculine horse with a great temperament.”
“He’s had a bit more racing and has a bit more race sense than what Preferment had.
“Preferment won the Derby as a maiden, but this horse has got a bit of class about him and has even won over short distances.
“He’s a Group winner over 1200 metres. He’s out of an Oaks winner and that’s always a big plus and he’s by a great stallion in Snitzel who interestingly is a sprinter.”
Tangled is by the champion sire Snitzel who was a Group 11 winning sprinter but gets his staying stamina from his dam Bramble Rose who was the winner of the 2003 Group 1 New Zealand Oaks over 2400m at Trentham.
Top line Sydney jockey Blake Shinn has been aboard Tangled for his last two starts and gets the mount again in the Victoria Derby.
Tangled has drawn awkwardly at barrier eleven in the capacity sixteen horse field and is well fancied in the Victoria Derby betting at $6.50 with Ladbrokes.com.au.
Spring Champion Stakes winner Ace High, from barrier three with Tye Angland in the saddle, is the ruling favourite at $4.50 with Weather With You and the widely drawn Main Stage (barrier 14) at $7 and stablemate Sully (barrier 15) at $8 also well in contention.
