Can Preferment Live Up to Breeding in Victoria Derby 2014?

This Saturday one of the four Group 1 Flemington races kicking off the Melbourne Cup Carnival is the 2014 Victoria Derby where Chris Waller will shoot for his maiden win in the classic with the nicely-bred Preferment.

Damien Oliver has the ride on Preferment in Saturday’s 2014 Victoria Derby field. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia.

A full field of 16, plus an emergency, run in the weekend’s $1.5 million Group 1 AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m) including four at single figures through Ladbrokes.com.au.

Favourite and the market mover is the Gai Waterhouse-trained Spring Champion Stakes winner Hampton Court ($2.60) in his Victorian debut.

The next best in betting is then fellow Sydneysider Preferment for Waller who is confident the son of Zabeel can live up to his breeding and go the distance.

The colt is a maiden after six starts but has come close and been luckless in defeat on a number of occasions including last time out at Geelong on October 22.

There Damien Oliver, who has ridden four Victoria Derby winners including Fiveandahalfstar (2012), rode him for a close second to Nozomi when a nose away in the Listed Geelong Classic (2200m).

The form coming out of that race has held up on a number of occasions and while you have to go back 40 years to find the last Geelong Classic – Derby double winner, the placegetters are in with a strong chance historically speaking.

So can Preferment make the step up in distance and class and break his maiden status with a Victoria Derby win this weekend?

Victoria Derby Horse Form: #13 Preferment

Barrier: 6
Weight: 55.5kg
Jockey: Damien Oliver
Trainer: Chris Waller
Owners: Mrs L F Huddy, Woppitt Bloodstock, Mr I Bruce, Mr G L Huddy, Magic Bloodstock Racing, Mr R Smith, Mr B L Mathieson, Mr K H Warriner, Mr J T C Lake, Mr F W Cook, Mrs C M Cook, G G Ltd
Age: 3YO
Gender: Colt
Breeding: by Zabeel (NZ) from Better Alternative
Career: 6-0-3-1
Win: 0%
Place: 67%
Last 6: 732242
Prize Money: $42,905
Track: 0-0-0-0
Distance: 0-0-0-0
Current 2014 Victoria Plate Odds: $6

Why Preferment Can Win the 2014 Victoria Derby

Drawn ideally in barrier six which last produced a Victoria Derby winner in 2007 with Kibbutz
Jumped form eight (of 14) last time out and thrived from that position so will be right in the finish again here
Has Damien Oliver staying on who knows the horse and boasts four Victoria Derby wins since 1983 including Fiveandahalfstar (2012) two years ago
Favourites have a poor recent record (2 wins in 10 years) suggesting an upset is possible
Was only a nostril flare away from the Geelong Classic win over 2200m last time out
Will be improving off that run
Bred to go the distance being a son of Zabeel