Divine Draw For Derby Favourite

Sacred Elixir (NZ) (Pour Moi {Ire}) is the latest potential star to rise from the Raffles Racing ranks, and the 3-year-old will look to become another Classic winner for that operation in Saturday's 2500-metre G1 AAMI Victoria Derby at Flemington, the headliner of four Group 1 races on the Melbourne Cup Carnival's 'Derby Day' card. A Group 1 victor as a juvenile when stretched out to a mile for the JJ Atkins S., Sacred Elixir returned a winner this season in the G3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude but put in a rare dull performance when eighth after traveling deep throughout in the main event, the G1 Caulfield Guineas, two weeks later. Sacred Elixir put that effort firmly behind him with a half-length win in the 2040-metre G2 Vase S. at Moonee Valley last weekend over Morvada (Aus) (Mossman {Aus}), and he is the heavy A$2.80 favourite with Sportsbet after drawing favourably in barrier one.

Morvada has consistency on his side, having hit the board in all four starts this campaign, albeit without a win. He was run down late by Sacred Elixir in the Vase after setting the pace, and will likely try the same tactics again. Swear (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}) looks to become a first Group 1 winner in Australia for Spendthrift Farm. The A$725,000 yearling nearly accomplished the feat three weeks ago when a half-length second to star 3-year-old filly Yankee Rose (Aus) (All American {Aus}) in the G1 Spring Champion S., with Prized Icon (Aus) (More Than Ready) back in third. He makes just his fifth start here, but is improving with each run.

So Si Bon (Aus) (So You Think {NZ}) appeared to relish the step up in distance when working home well to be third in the Vase over a soft track, and could find that extra kick over a drier surface on Saturday. Inference (Aus), by the same sire in So You Think, is another that shapes like a promising stayer, having finished a good third when stretched out to 2000 metres in the G3 Caulfield Classic Oct. 15, but he was dealt a blow at the barrier draw when landing widest of all. Fourth behind him that day was Beach Life (Aus) (Hinchinbrook {Aus}). He drew much more favourably in barrier eight and is rated highly by trainer Ciaron Maher, who told Racing.com, “It's a great barrier, he probably just wants a little bit of cover and likes to be forward in the race so that barrier enables him to do that. He's been set for this race all the way along, and I think he's improved with each start. We've upped his work and he seems to have really responded, I'm confident he's going to improve out of his last start and I thought he was strong enough through the line.”