Queensland Derby hopeful California Turbo is among the twenty-two nominations for the Group 3 $125,000 2018 Gunsynd Classic (1630m) at Doomben on Saturday.

California Turbo, above in yellow and red colours, is among the nominations for the Gunsynd Classic at Doomben. Photo by Steve Hart.

California Turbo is coming off a last start win in the Listed $150,000 The Agency South Pacific Classic (1400m) at Randwick on April 14 and co-trainer Peter Snowden said the Fastnet Rock three year old will be set for the Group 1 $600,000 Channel Seven Queensland Derby (2200m) at Doomben on June 9.

“He’s a Fastnet Rock gelding who has just taken a little bit of time to know his craft,” Snowden told AAP.

“He’s going to stay, there’s no doubt about that, and all this preparation has been aimed towards the Derby in Brisbane.

“He had a soft kill at the provincials first-up, knowing the horse had a lot of improvement fitness-wise to come through that.”

Dark Dream from the stables of Kembla Grange trainer Kerry Parker, finished second to California Turbo in the South Pacific Classic and is also an entry in the Gunsynd Classic.

The Ben Currie trained Hang is also among the nominations for the Gunsynd Classic and has worked his way up through the classes with five wins from his last six starts.

Hang will be stepping up to Group 3 level following his impressive last start win in the $75,000 Toowoomba Guineas (1625m) on his home track at Toowoomba on April 7.

The Toowoomba Guineas placegetters Naked and Zofonic Dancer are also among the nominations for the Gunsynd Classic.

The Barry Lockwood trained Naked is yet to greet the judge but has been placed at six of his nine starts while Robert Heathcote’s Zofonic Dancer is a winning of four of his seven race starts.

Eagle Farm trainer Paul Butterworth was on top of the world during the 2017 Brisbane Winter Carnival when Capital Gain stormed home to win the Group 1 $600,000 BMW J.J. Atkins (1600m) at Doomben but the Ad Valorem three year old has failed to fill a place from six race starts since and heads into the Gunsynd Classic on the back of a last start fourteenth to Levendi in the Group 1 $2m Harrolds Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick on April 7.

Sydney’s leading trainer Chris Waller has nominated three for the Gunsynd Classic, Omineca, Sambro and So You Win.

Other entries from the strong southern stables include the Ciaron Maher trained Villermont and the Anthony Freedman trained Tavistock Abbey.

Nominations for the 2018 Gunsynd Classic (1630m)