One of the best three-year-old showdowns of the season is this Saturday’s $1.5 million Group 1 AJC Australian Derby (2400m), 2011 AJC Derby Day kicking off the Randwick Autumn Carnival for another year.
Jimmy Choux could start odds on favourite in the 2011 AJC Australian Derby
The headline race on a bumper nine event Randwick card, the 2011 AJC Australian Derby final field and barrier draw was released this morning with raging favourite Jimmy Choux coming up trumps with the inside gate.
Star Kiwi colt Jimmy Choux could now possibly start odds-on favourite to become the AJC Australian Derby winner for 2011 after drawing barrier one from the below capacity 14-horse field.
The last horse to start odds on favourite in an AJC Derby was Octagonal in 1995 who went on to win that year’s race ahead of a crack field including Saintly and Nothin’ Leica Dane.
John Bary’s Thorn Park colt Jimmy Choux has claimed five successive Group races since Christmas including his last start win in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) when making his Australian debut on March 26.
In the Rosehill Guineas Jimmy Choux and jockey Jonathan Riddell were able to run down a gallant Retrieve and score a tidy half-length win.
Retrieve will get their chance at revenge in the AJC Derby, the Rahy colt the sole runner for trainer Peter Snowden who took out the Golden Slipper last Saturday with superstar Sepoy.
Retrieve was a disappointing sixth to Fast Clip in the Group 2 Tulloch Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill last Saturday and has suffered a further blow coming up with gate 12 in the AJC Derby barrier draw.
Gai Waterhouse has ruled out a run in the AJC Derby for Tulloch Stakes’ winner Fast Clip despite their dominant performance last weekend.
One horse that ran the ideal Derby trial in the Tulloch Stakes that will back up this Saturday is runner-up I Think I Do from the stables of Bart Cummings.
Redoute’s Choice colt I Think I Do has also drawn wide for the Derby with barrier 11 and is due to be ridden by Steven Arnold.
Other notable three-year-olds in the 2011 AJC Australian Derby field include:
- Domesky (Michael Kent) – Won the Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) at Moonee Valley on March 18 before finishing a well-beaten 10th in the Rosehill Guineas last start
- Light Brigade (Gai Waterhouse) – Ran a game third to Ilovethiscity in the Randwick Guineas before coming home fourth in the Rosehill Guineas, drawn ideally in barrier two
- Shamrocker (Danny O’Brien) – Only filly engaged in this year’s AJC Derby, winner of the Group 1 Australian Guineas in early March before finishing a credible third in the Rosehill Guineas, has drawn barrier eight and is to be ridden by Glen Boss
Betting on the AJC Australian Derby will reopen at bookmakers around the country shortly.
Stay tuned to Races.com.au for all the latest AJC Derby news, field updates and betting tips.
2011 David Jones AJC Australian Derby Field, Barriers & Weights
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Hcp. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | X211011111 | JIMMY CHOUX (NZ) | John Bary | Jonathan Riddell | 1 | 56.5kg | 110 |
| 2 | 4X111X7067 | ANACHEEVA | Peter G Moody | Luke Nolen | 6 | 56.5kg | 105 |
| 3 | 11213X2726 | RETRIEVE | Peter Snowden | Kerrin McEvoy | 12 | 56.5kg | 103 |
| 4 | 02332X0569 | PRAECIDO (NZ) | David Payne | Corey Brown | 14 | 56.5kg | 92 |
| 5 | 1X2753X645 | MASQUERADER | David Payne | Glyn Schofield | 5 | 56.5kg | 94 |
| 6 | X372X21410 | DOMESKY | Michael Kent | Craig Williams | 3 | 56.5kg | 87 |
| 7 | 161253096 | HE’S REMARKABLE (NZ) | Roger James | Michael Rodd | 13 | 56.5kg | 80 |
| 8 | 1123X7734 | LIGHT BRIGADE | Gai Waterhouse | Nash Rawiller | 2 | 56.5kg | 85 |
| 9 | 615X9042 | I THINK I DO | Bart Cummings | Steven Arnold | 11 | 56.5kg | 83 |
| 10 | 339X5178 | SHADOWOFEXCELLENCE | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Dwayne Dunn | 7 | 56.5kg | 67 |
| 11 | 2X0222041 | HIGH DENSITY | Joe Cleary | Ms Kathy O’Hara | 4 | 56.5kg | 62 |
| 12 | 71845 | KING GLADIATOR | Chris Waller | Hugh Bowman | 9 | 56.5kg | 68 |
| 13 | 994840 | DUCARIUS | Paul Perry | Christian Reith | 10 | 56.5kg | – |
| 14 | X78302X413 | SHAMROCKER (NZ) | Danny O’Brien | Glen Boss | 8 | 54.5kg | 105 |
