Queensland Derby tilt for well-travelled Lavalier
Lavalier has never raced in better form and Godolphin Australia head trainer James Cummings will no doubt be hoping a slight freshen-up and a barrier trial will benefit the three-year-old going into Saturday's G1 Queensland Derby at Eagle Farm.
Considered a possible VRC Derby aspirant last spring, Lavalier failed to deliver in the lead-up before being sent for a spell.
The son of former top two-year-old Microphone and the fabulous broodmare Accessories, who has produced five individual Stakes winners – including G1 winners and sires Helmet and Epaulette, recaptured his early form with three strong placings in Melbourne and Adelaide over the past six weeks.
His latest effort, when third in the G1 South Australian Derby on 3 May, was full of merit after a tough early run from a wide barrier.
Cummings floated the gelding back to Sydney before a tick-over barrier trial at Warwick Farm on May 22 convinced the young trainer to send Lavalier to Queensland.
Jamie Melham retains the ride on Saturday and Lavalier, who will jump from an ideal barrier nine if the last four emergencies come out, is sure to run out a strong 2,400m.
Stablemate Golden Mile will have to start from the outside stall in the the G1 Kingsford Smith Cup over 1,300m at Eagle Farm, but the five-year-old should be nearing a peak performance.
Golden Mile rattled home from 12th on the home turn to finish third in the G2 Victory Stakes four weeks ago and then impressed when runner-up under a hold in Lavalier's trial at Warwick Farm.
In-form jockey Jason Collett had the reins that day and has taken the ride in the Kingsford Smith Cup.
Golden Mile has G1-winning form up to 1,600m, should appreciate the long home straight and be hitting the finishing line strongly.
Pisces has been costly to stable supporters in four runs back from a spell and needs to lift to win the G3 Fred Best Classic over 1,400m.
Fourth on heavy tracks at Hawkesbury and Doomben at his latest starts, a firmer surface should help Pisces who has drawn ideally in gate one with Melham to ride.
Champion jockey James McDonald will ride Kin in the Listed Helen Coughlan Stakes over 1,200m as the four-year-old mare chases her second Stakes-race success.
Third run back from a spell, after placings on heavy tracks at Hawkesbury and Doomben in Listed events, Kin will strip fitter and drops 1.5kg on her last performance when second to In Flight two weeks ago.
At Rosehill Gardens, Kerrin McEvoy will ride Zebra Finch and Kerguelen in restricted events for Cummings, while Mareth and Snack Bar represent the stable at Caulfield.
Two-year-old filly Mareth (Jye McNeil) will have her second start over 1,200m and Snack Bar returns from Brisbane to run against three-year-olds over the same distance with Harry Coffey aboard.
Beautiful Love chasing more G3 success at Haydock Park: Beautiful Love bids to double her G3 tally in the Lester Piggott Stakes at Haydock Park in UK on Saturday.
Trained by Charlie Appleby, the Siyouni homebred stormed home to take last season's G3 Jockey Club Oaks at Aqueduct and ran another excellent race in the US to take a close fourth in November's G1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
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