Eagle Command was a hot chance going into the Geelong Classic last start but he disappointed majorly as he could only battle to seventh position.

Previous to that he was an outstanding second to Isopatch at Flemington after running on from towards the tail of the field.

Just what  Eagle Command arrives for this weekend’s Victoria Derby remains to be seen but there’s every chance he’ll improve getting back onto the spacious Flemington track.

That’s what trainer Gary Portelli is counting on as he thinks he was just cramped for space at Geelong.

“He’s very green…he needs plenty of galloping room,” he said.

“He was disappointing but I think there is improvement in him.”

He said the horse has come on a bit since that last start on October 19 but they’ll need a good track to take full advantage.

“He’s going well…I think we just need a dry track,” he said.

As for being back at Flemington, that’s only a positive.

“Two starts back he ran an enormous race at Flemington,” he said.

Eagle Command is a horse that likes to settle back off a hot pace and that pattern will continue in the Derby, however he will certainly be off the rails.

“I’d like to see him outside horses and just get him into his rhythm,” Portelli said.

“The tempo is going to be the key to it all, that’ll sort the men form the boys.”

In his last run at Flemington he actually sat three wide throughout so two wide with cover could be the key to his success on Saturday.

Even with the perfect race though the fact remains that like the rest of the Victoria Derby field, we won’t know if they’ll run the trip until we see it.

“He’s come a long way quickly, but it’s a long way the 2500m,” he said.