Kiwi raiders chase Derby glory

By Glenn Davis

New Zealand co-trainer Roger James has made an art form of launching successful Queensland Racing Carnival raids over a long period of time.

The master horseman joined forces with his training partner Robert Wellwood about eight years ago and claimed their first Group 1 together in Australia when Pinarello won the Queensland Derby in 2022.

The pair has returned this winter and is hopeful Kiwi filly Solid Gold can give them another Queensland Derby victory at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

James claimed his seventh New Zealand Derby and shared the glory with Wellwood when Road To Paris was successful at Ellerslie in March.

Before joining forces with Wellwood, James regularly crossed the ditch to win a host of Queensland features including a Group 1 Queensland Oaks with Giovana in 2000.

Solid Gold made her Queensland debut this winter when the daughter of Savabeel finished fifth to the Chris Waller-trained Kilman in the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate over 2000 metres at Doomben on May 16.

Solid Gold, who has drawn barrier 18 for the Queensland Derby, endured a marathon trip across the Tasman before landing in the Sunshine State.

It took nine hours before she touched down in Sydney and another 13 hours on a float before arriving in Brisbane.

Despite the long haul, Solid Gold overcame the lengthy travel and a similar wide barrier of 13 to run a respectable race in the Rough Habit Plate.

“We were pleased with the filly’s performance in the Rough Habit as she ran the fastest sectionals of any horse,” Wellwood said.

“She drew wide that day, so we had her ridden quietly, but she could have gone forward if she had to.

“But, we didn’t want a hard run with the Derby and the Queensland Oaks coming up.

“Tommy Berry will be riding her in the Derby and all going well, she’ll then run in the Queensland Oaks.”

Wellwood has returned to New Zealand and will miss the Queensland Derby while James has arrived to supervise the filly this week.

Despite his many trips to Queensland, James has only had a handful of Queensland Derby starters.

Outside Pinarello's Derby victory, James' previous best results were with Skoozi Please who finished third in the 1999 edition, which was won by Camarena, while Melora was runner-up to the John Hawkes-trained Dodge the previous year.

Melora also ran third in the Group 1 Queensland Oaks that was won by Zacheline that year.

Only three New Zealanders have won the Queensland Derby since 2000.

Champion Kiwi trainer John Wheeler was successful with Court Ruler in 2009 followed by the Graeme Rogerson-trained Shootoff in 2011 before Pinarello won four years ago.