Godolphin goes into the first Classic of the Australian season with two strong chances of claiming a breakthrough success when Etymology and Shards contest the G1 Victoria Derby at Flemington on Saturday, October 31.
Godolphin goes into the first Classic of the Australian season with two strong chances of claiming a breakthrough success when Etymology and Shards contest the G1 Victoria Derby at Flemington on Saturday, October 31.
Etymology (John O'Shea/James McDonald) and Shards (John O'Shea/Hugh Bowman) will be out to improve on the stables record of four Derby placings in Australia over the past three years. And their trainer believes they are up to the task.
"Both horses come into the race off the best runs of their respective campaigns," O'Shea said.
"They represent a good combination of speed and stamina and give us a great chance to win one of the country's major races."
Godolphin's royal blue silks have been carried into the placings in the past two Victoria Derbies with Nozomi finishing third last year to Preferment and Complacent running second to Polanski in 2013.
In the ATC Australian Derby Hauraki was second this year to Mongolian Khan and Tupac Amaru finished runner up to Criterion in 2014.
Shards, a colt by Medaglia d'Oro, is the best-performed of the O'Shea-trained pair, having won twice from his eight starts, most recently over 1300m at Randwick in August.
But it was his last start effort when a game second to Jameka in the traditional Derby lead-up, the G2 Moonee Valley Vase that convinced his trainer he was ready for a classic bid.
In that race he beat Tarzino, one of the strongest Derby prospects, into third place.
"He led and pushed on very strongly from a fair way out at Moonee Valley," O'Shea said.
"Over the extra ground here I think he can get into a good tempo and be very effective."
The run also proved to O'Shea that Shards' previous run when down the track behind Press Statement in the G1 Caulfield Guineas could be forgotten.
"He got a bad knock early and was in trouble all the way in the Guineas, so it was good to see him bounce back," he said.
"I'm really happy with where he's at, he has a little bit of speed that should get him into the first five.
"He is a genuine mile-and-a-half horse with a lovely profile coming into the Derby."
Etymology, a son of New Approach, goes into the race as the winner of a modest Pakenham maiden.
But he produced a performance full of staying potential when third in the G3 Caulfield Classic at his latest run.
"Etymology's been building up to that, just waiting to get to his right trip," O'Shea said.
"He's a genuine mile-and-a-half horse who has trained on well and is very fit."
