BRIGHTON trainer Gary White is no stranger to winning feature races in Tasmania but he is hoping his promising young stayer Barysh Quest can break a decent drought of high profile race wins for the popular mentor.
White has a few major cups trophies in the mantelpiece and he’s had placings in other feature staying races but the cupboard has been bare for a few years.
Barysh Quest burst into Schweppes Tasmanian Derby calculations with an impressive win in the Betfair Hobart Guineas (2100m) at Tattersall’s Park two weeks ago to stamp himself as a genuine Derby contender.
In-form Tasmanian-born jockey Craig Newitt is back to side the gelded son of West Quest in the $100,000 Listed classic over 2200 metres.
After guiding Barysh Quest to victory in the Hobart Guineas Newitt told the media throng that White’s three-year-old was clearly the horse to beat in the Derby, irrespective of whatever comes from interstate.
White also will saddle up Colonial Gold that was fourth in the Hobart Guineas after leading and being taken on for most of the race.
White says his second-string Derby runner is no slouch and could cause an upset at big odds.
The only other locally-trained runner is last start Devonport maiden winner Talaq Downs but he doesn’t look up to it at this stage of his career.
The race that boasts a field of 10 is littered with interstate-trained and owned three-year-olds including Caravaggio (Anthony Freedman) and Jarss Act that finished behind Barysh Quest in the Hobart Guineas.
The other interstate invaders include the Robert Smerdon-trained Rollerball that has won his past two with the latest a 3YO 0-72 over 1600 metres at Moonee Valley, however the O’Reilly gelding is untried beyond 1600m.
Danny O’Brien will saddle up Charting, a colt by Savabeel that is a maiden with two recent minor placings to his credit at Moonee Valley (2040m) and at Ballarat two weeks ago over 1600m.
Methuselah is a gelding by Savoire Vivre that was bred by the late Bert Wicks and sold to Mornington trainer John McArdle at the 2010 Tasmanian Magic Millions Yearling sale for $30,000.
Methuselah is a last-start winner over 2000m at Ararat and while it is only against modest country opposition, he led all the way and won by five lengths.
Crystal Icon is an Elvstroem gelding prepared at Flemington by Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra and like Charting he is a maiden with minor placings at his past two outings.
Magnum is prepared by John Thompson for Patinack Farm and he lines up as a last-start winner at Wangaratta at only his fourth start but he is by Flying Spur from a Zabeel mare (Airlie).