No Order Again in 2017 Queesnland Derby field

One time favourite Order Again is a noted absentee from the final field for the 2017 Group 1 $600,000 Channel Seven Queensland Derby (2200m) at Doomben on Saturday.

Volatile Mix, above, with yellow cap and white sleeves, has drawn a wide barrier in the Queensland Derby at Doomben. Photo by Jenny Barnes.

Volatile Mix, above, with yellow cap and white sleeves, has drawn a wide barrier in the Queensland Derby at Doomben. Photo by Jenny Barnes.

Order Again was elevated to the top of the market order for the Queensland Derby at $4.80 at Ladbrokes.com.au after scoring a narrow win in the Group 3 $150,000 Mullins Lawyers Grand Prix Stakes (2200m) at Eagle Farm on May 27.

But Eagle Farm trainer Brian Smith revealed today that Order Again pulled up scratchy after a gallop on Tuesday morning and will be put away before being prepared for a Spring Carnival campaign.

The absence of Order Again has seen Kiwi three year old Shocking Luck take over the position at the top of the market order at $4.80 after drawing the inside barrier in the capacity sixteen horse field plus five emergencies.

The connections of Shocking Luck had to pay a late entry fee of $18,000 to reinstate the three year old back into contention for the Queensland Derby after inadvertently missing to pay up at first acceptance time last week.

Top Kiwi jockey Opie Bosson sticks with the Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards trained gelding who holds a slight advantage in the market order over Ruthven at $5.50 and Volatile Mix at $7.

The Darren Weir trained Volatile Mix (John Allen) was out of luck at the barrier draw, coming up with the twenty marble and will jump from the outside gate when the emergencies are eliminated on race morning while Ruthven could move in one spot and jump from gate eight with Hugh Bowman in the saddle.

Weir will also saddle up Mongolian Wolf ($12) from barrier four with Damian Lane to ride and Rockstar Rebel ($14) for Brad Rawiller from barrier six.

Connections of Ana Royale gained a spot in the Queensland Derby field after paying a late fee of $18,000 following her luckless run to finish eighth in the Group 1 $500,000 Treasury Brisbane Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Doomben last week.

The tough staying filly drew in close at barrier three and will be ridden again by Melbourne jockey Mark Zahra and is solid in the betting at $11.

Sydney’s premier trainer Chris Waller is giving the stable a great chance to win both the three year old classics during the Winter Racing Carnival with four horses lining up in the Queensland Derby.

Waller took out the Queensland Oaks last Saturday with Egg Tart and has accepted with Black On Gold, Sizzling Bullet, Monasterio and Wu Gok for the Queensland Derby.

Black On Gold (Tommy Berry, barrier 14) is the best supported of the quartet at $10 with Sizzling Bullet (Craig Williams, 16) and Monasterio (Tye Angland, 13) at $21 and Wu Gok (Kerrin McEvoy, 15) the outsider for the Waller stable at $26.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.