Forbidden Love draws wide in Doncaster Mile
Hitotsu’s Draws Well for Historical Derby Bid
Hitotsu (Image source: magicmillions.com.au)
Hitotsu’s bid at becoming the first horse since Mahogany to win the Victoria Derby – Australian Derby double received a boost at Tuesday’s barrier draw.
The Maher-Eustace trained galloper won the Victoria Derby over 2500m last year and resumed this autumn with a barnstorming win over a mile in the Australian Guineas returning a career peak figure.
Hitotsu will start from barrier four in Saturday’s $2 million feature while Tulloch Stakes winner Character will jump from gate 11 with Tommy Berry in the saddle.
Gai and Singo are back together and their charge Castlereagh Kid, although disappointing in the Allister Clark Stakes, will push on to the Derby and drew barrier 12 with Nash Rawiller in the saddle.
Rawiller rode multiple Group 1 winner More Joyous to the baulk of her 21 victories when she sported the famous Singo silks around a decade ago.
A roughie to keep an eye might be Elzamee, who found the line strongly over the 2040m last start, is bred to get 2400 plus and has the Maher-Eustace polish.
2022 Australian Derby Field & Barrier Draw
| No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight |
| 1 | HITOTSU | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | John Allen | 4 | 56.5kg |
| 2 | ALEGRON | James Cummings | Hugh Bowman | 3 | 56.5kg |
| 3 | FORGOT YOU (NZ) | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Mark Zahra | 13 | 56.5kg |
| 4 | CASTLEREAGH KID | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Nash Rawiller | 12 | 56.5kg |
| 5 | REGAL LION (NZ) | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | James McDonald | 10 | 56.5kg |
| 6 | WHITE NOISE (NZ) | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | Robbie Dolan | 21 | 56.5kg |
| 7 | WAR ETERNAL (NZ) | Bjorn Baker | Damian Lane | 9 | 56.5kg |
| 8 | CHARACTER | James Cummings | Tommy Berry | 11 | 56.5kg |
| 9 | CAN’T GO WONG (NZ) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Ms Jamie Kah | 6 | 56.5kg |
| 10 | MAURICE’S MEDAD | Bjorn Baker | Joshua Parr | 16 | 56.5kg |
| 11 | RAGING BULL | David Payne | Craig Williams | 15 | 56.5kg |
| 12 | ELZAMEE | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Chad Schofield | 1 | 56.5kg |
| 13 | ZOUMON | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | 5 | 56.5kg |
| 14 | CLYDE | Gary Portelli | Shaun Guymer | 8 | 56.5kg |
| 15 | BENAUD | John O’Shea | Brenton Avdulla | 19 | 56.5kg |
| 16 | FOOTLIGHTS (NZ) | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 2 | 56.5kg | |
| 17 | SEA TREASURES (NZ) | Bjorn Baker | Ms Rachel King | 17 | 56.5kg |
| 18 | AKAHATA (NZ) | Bjorn Baker | 20 | 56.5kg | |
| 19e | ASTERNISHING | Mick Bell | Dean Holland | 18 | 56.5kg |
| 20e | MEDIARO | Matthew Smith | Jay Ford | 14 | 56.5kg |
| 21e | LUKEY LUKE | Gwenda Markwell | Keagan Latham | 7 | 56.5kg |
