In Brief
- Filly clocks fastest time over 800m on Devonport track.
- Trainer confident of 3YO Cup prospects.
- Newitt says the trial form suggests she can win 3YO Cup first-up.
ONE of last season’s top two-year-olds Deroche signaled a warning to other 3YO Cup contenders when she won a trial in Devonport by 15 lengths yesterday and clocked a sizzling 47 seconds over the 800-metre trip.
It was the best time recorded over the distance since Arenzano and Rebel Bride each covered the 800 metres in 47.06 in trials when they were in the prime of their racing careers.
Deroche, formerly with Barry Campbell but now in the care of Leanne Gaffney, has not raced since she won the $50,000 Armidale Stud Tasbred 2YO Classic (1220m) in Launceston in May.
The filly was expected to win the trial but not with such ease or by such a big margin.
“That was exactly what we were hoping for, but we probably weren’t expecting her to run that sort of time,” Gaffney said.
“The filly has been working extra well at home and on the training track but for her to deliver that in a trial was very pleasing.
“She has been in work a while and needed a solid hit-out before next week’s 3YO Cup.”
Craig Newitt rode the filly and he was ecstatic after the trial.
“We wanted to give her a good hit-out today and she got that, even though I never pushed her right out the last little bit,” Newitt said.
“I’ve always believed this filly will be at her best when she can race off the speed with cover because she has such a brilliant turn of foot and if we get that sort of run in the 3YO Cup, I can’t see anything beating her.”
Watch Deroche blitz her rivals in a trial over 800m in Devonport today.