Price Runner Favored In Derby

Trainer Mick Price is no stranger to big-race success, having handled the likes of Lankan Rupee (Aus) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}) and Samaready (Aus) (More Than Ready) in recent years, and the Caulfield-based trainer looks to heavy favorite Tarzino (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) to become his latest star in the G1 AAMI Victoria Derby, the feature of the opening-day card of the Melbourne Cup Carnival. Tarzino–who, like last year’s Derby winner Preferment (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) was bred in New Zealand and has Zabeel as his damsire–has shown more spark with each step-up in distance. He won a mile handicap at Caulfield Sept. 19 and was seventh, beaten four lengths, in the G1 Caulfield Guineas over that trip Oct. 10 before finishing fast to be third in the 2040-meter G2 Moonee Valley Vase last weekend. Tarzino will exit from barrier 10, so he fared much better in the draw than last-out Geelong Classic winner Extra Choice (NZ) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}), who will have to contend with gate 17. Godolphin’s Shards (Aus) (Medaglia d’Oro) finished one slot ahead of Tarzino in the Moonee Valley Vase and he will exit one gate to the outside of that rival Saturday. Shards opened his season with a score in the G3 Up And Coming S. Aug. 22 and appears to be looking for this extended trip.

Second choice in the betting at 8-1 is Kia Ora Koutou (Aus) (Blackfriars {Aus}), who looks to become the second Western Australian shipper to win this contest. The Adam Durrant charge is unbeaten in four outings and most recently won a 2200-meter benchmark race at Belmont Park Oct. 3, so takes a marked step up in class here. Also fancied is the locally trained Get The Picture (Aus) (Excellent Art {GB}). The Stuart Webb trainee has finished out of the top two just once, and that was when he was fourth in the G3 Caulfield Classic Oct. 17, but he has finished fast from well out of it in his last two starts and appears one that will like the distance.