Derby Hat Trick For Weir

[Wandering Eyes]

The lightly raced Leicester (Aus) (Wanted {Aus}) has rarely been far out of it in nine starts, and on Saturday he continued his ascent with a first Group 1 win in the G1 South Australian Derby. Leicester broke his maiden at third asking for trainer Darren Weir on Jan. 31, and assumed favouritism for this off the back of a score in the G3 Chairmans S. last out two weeks ago. Racing prominently throughout, the bay gelding hit the lead under a drive at the 100 metre pole and ran out by 1 1/2 lengths to give Weir his third straight win in the race.

“We got some good advice from a few people that told us to try to get in front of a few and try to have him in the box seat and that’s what Damian did,” Weir told Racenet. “He needed that run to show that turn of foot. Had he had a tough run, and all that sort of stuff, I doubt he would have been able to run the trip, but the way [jockey] Damian [Lane] rode him, it was just absolutely perfect. He switched him off, got him into the right spot and, more importantly, he didn’t press the button until the last 200 metres.”

Pedigree Notes…

Leicester is the first produce of his dam, who has an as-yet unraced 2-year-old filly by I Am Invincible (Aus) named Seles (Aus) and another filly to follow by breeder Yarraman Park’s standout sire. Her 2017 colt is by I Am Invincible’s studmate Hinchinbrook (Aus), a three-quarter brother to Snitzel who is also enjoying a good season with the likes of Group 1-winning 2-year-old Seabrook (NZ) to his credit. Click for the free Arion.co.nz catalogue-style pedigree.

 

Saturday, Morphettville, Australia
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN DERBY-G1, A$602,020, SAJC, 5-12, 3yo, Open Set Weight, 2500mT, 2:38.95, Good.
1–LEICESTER, 56.5, g, 3, by Wanted
1st Dam: Defy the Odds (GB), by Galileo (IRE)
2nd Dam: Fully Invested (USA), by Irish River (FR)
3rd Dam: Shirley Valentine (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB)
1ST GROUP 1 WIN (A$10,000 Wlg 2015 WI Sydney Weanling &
Broodmare Sale) O-P A Willetts & G J Johnson; B-Yarraman
Park Stud Pty Ltd NSW; T-D K Weir; J-Damian Lane; A$386,020.
Lifetime Record: 9-4-1-1, A$535,730. Werk Nick Rating: A+++
*Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Rezealient, 56.5, g, 3, Sebring–Pretty Penny, by Encosta de
Lago. O-P J Mullen, Mrs R J Mullen, Ms X Huang, W L Hoey, S
Ioannidis, S Ioannidis, G B Medved, J L Medved, M Wu, Ms E
Lee, Ms T J Medved, J L Tam & Ms Y Zhang; B-Shadow Glen
Stud Pty Ltd VIC; T-D & B Hayes & T Dabernig; J-Jamie Kah;
A$102,000.
3–Runaway, 56.5, g, 3, Manhattan Rain–Catshaan, by Catrail
(USA). (A$150,000 Ylg 2016 WI Sydney Easter Yearling Sale)
O-M J Kent, T R Folsom, S Ducat, C Tognolini, D A Wright & Ms
K Waterhouse, Rosemont Stud Pty Ltd (Mgr: A P Mithen), G1g
Racing & Breeding (Mgr: Mrs T L Vogel) Newbies (Mgr: J
Davies; B-Rosemont Stud VIC; T-G Waterhouse & A Bott; J-S
Baster; A$48,000.
Margins: 1.5 len, 2.0 len, 2.1 len. Odds: 3.00, 20.00, 12.00.
Also Ran: Tropical Lightning, Won Won Too (NZ) , High ‘n’ Dry, Money Maher, Into Rio (NZ), Main Stage (NZ), Sherrif (NZ), Nothin’ Leica High, Savaheat (NZ), Box on Collins, Tangled, Civil Disobedience (NZ), Silent Command.
Click for the Racing Post result.

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