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O’Sullivan looks to repeat Derby success

Lance O’Sullivan won the Group I Queensland Derby (2400m) as a jockey 30 years ago and he is hoping to repeat the feat as a trainer at Eagle Farm today.

‘‘I won the Derby on a filly called Royal Magic. She won the Oaks and then a week later she won the Derby. She was a good filly,’’ O’Sullivan told RSN.

The Kiwi horseman, who trains in partnership with Andrew Scott, will line-up race favourite Dark Destroyer in the three-year-old feature.

The son of Proisir has made an impression in his debut season, winning three of his six starts in New Zealand, including the Group III Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m) and Group II Auckland Guineas (1600m), and also placed in the Group II Sarten Memorial Stakes (1400m).

While he missed the Group I New Zealand Derby (2400m), he has made a splash across the Tasman, finishing runner-up in the Group II Queensland Guineas (1600m) before winning the Group III Rough Habit Plate (2143m) last start.

O’Sullivan has received positive feedback after his win and is looking forward to contesting the derby with his charge this weekend.

‘‘He hasn’t taken a backwards step. He was quiet for two or three days, but you would expect that, it was a pretty tough run,’’ he said.

‘‘There is no reason why he can’t go out there and compete again.’’

While Dark Destroyer is yet to be tested over 2400m, O’Sullivan believes he will stay the course.

‘‘At one stage he was the favourite for the Derby here [in New Zealand], but things went amiss, and we had to pull up stumps, hence why he has made it to Brisbane,’’ O’Sullivan said.

Meanwhile, Andrew Forsman was far from disappointed when last Saturday’s Doomben meeting fell foul of the big wet in Queensland.

The Cambridge trainer had voiced serious reservations about The Chosen One’s heavy track prospects

in the Group I Doomben Cup (2100m) before the meeting was abandoned.

Take two of the Cup will be held at Eagle Farm today and Forsman has no complaints about the new venue.

‘‘It’s good for The Chosen One and the sun is out here now, although there is some rain in the forecast, but getting to Eagle Farm is the key for him,’’ he said.

Sport

en-nz

2022-05-28T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-05-28T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://fairfaxmedia.pressreader.com/article/282806424933365

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