While the question on Kiwi trainer John Bary’s lips this morning was how much his star three-year-old Survived could win Saturday’s Queensland Derby 2013 by, it could now be a question of whether the horse can just hang on after the pre-race favourite suffered an early blow drawing gate 17.

Queensland Oaks winner Gondokoro is the only filly in the 2013 Queensland Derby field. Photo: Daniel Costello.

A winner of five of their eight starts to date, all their victories being back home in New Zealand, Zed gelding Survived was awesome at track work in Brisbane this morning doing everything right and impressing Bary ahead of their first Group 1 assignment in the $500,000 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm Racecourse this weekend.

Their good form at home as well as their eye-catching second in their first run in Australia when second to fellow Derby fancy Hawkspur in the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate (2100m) on May 11 saw them dominating Queensland Derby betting.

That could change and we could have a new favourite for the final Group 1 for three-year-olds this season after today’s barrier draw however.

Survived came up with 17 which has never produced a Queensland Derby winner.

There are five emergencies in this year’s Queensland Derby field and should none of those gain a start Survived will come into barrier 14.

Their major threat and last start conqueror Hawkspur meanwhile was one of the big winners in this year’s Queensland Derby barrier draw, the Chris Waller-trained Purrealist gelding coming up with five – going into three with emergencies out.

Set to get a sweet run from that spot with Hall of Famer Jim Cassidy in the saddle, Hawkspur is after their third win on the trot having backed up from the Rough Habit Plate with a similarly impressive two and a half length victory over Rhythm To Spare in the Group 3 Grand Prix Stakes (2200m).

Many of the same horses Hawkspur beat home in the Grand Prix Stakes will try to turn the tables on Saturday including Rhythm To Spare (2^nd), Honorius (3^rd) and Usainity (4^th) who had mixed results with their gate allocations.

The Michael Moroney-trained Rhythm To Spare has set up a tough assignment for jockey Glen Boss with barrier 19 (into 16 with emergencies out).

Prior to the Pins three-year-old running second in the Grand Prix they posted back-to-back wins at Bendigo and Sandown respectively, Saturday their first look at the mile and a half and Eagle Farm.

Honorius had much better luck, David Payne’s talented Holy Roman Emperor colt drawing barrier four (into two with emergencies out).

They have been progressing through the ranks well this season including their second in the Group 3 Frank Packer Plate (2000m) in Sydney and Grand Prix third.

Frank Packer Plate winner Usainity meanwhile is drawn awkwardly in barrier 18 (possibly into 15) for the Derby.

Adding another level of interest to the Queensland Derby 2013 field is then the acceptance for Queensland Oaks winner Gondokoro who is the sole filly in this year’s race.

Drawn in barrier 14 (into 11) the Zabeel filly from Pat Carey’s Mornington stables was ultra-impressive over this track and distance last weekend with her three length romp in the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2400m).

Carey is confident she can be competitive again on the weekend up against the boys with the form of Queensland Oaks winners in the Derby over the years very good.

Just last year New Zealander Quintessential backed up from her Oaks success to run second to Brambles in the Queensland Derby after jumping from the outside barrier (18 of 18) only just missing out on becoming the fifth filly to complete the QLD Oaks – Derby double in the past 40 years.

Check out the full 2013 Queensland Derby field, barriers, jockeys and weights in the table below.

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2013 Queensland Derby Final Field & Barrier Draw

Eagle Farm Race 7 – 3:00pm (AEST) – 08/06/2013