SKIDDAW UNDERLINES O'BRIEN'S 3YO BLITZ
Flemington trainer Danny O'Brien continues to reap the rewards of a busy sales schedule in 2018 after yet another of his three-year-olds scored at Caulfield on Saturday.
Skiddaw's Living Legends Handicap victory saw him firm in the market for November's $2 million Victoria Derby while also registering his seventh win with three-year-olds over the past 10 days.
"It looks easy but it's two years of work starting with the yearling sales at the start of 2018 to get to this stage," O'Brien said. "They all got a good grounding and now we're getting the results on the track.
"If you want nice horses, you've got to go and buy them, break them in and then be patient with them. It doesn't just land in your lap.
"Of course, there's the other model of getting the Europeans but if you want to be a factor in your local three-year-old races, you need to take a long-term approach."
After settling midfield for jockey Ben Melham, Skiddaw ($6.50) came with a late run to overhaul the leader The Lifeline ($4.20) and win by a length, with half a length to Leven Lass ($15) in third place.
O'Brien said Skiddaw would continue on a path to the Victoria Derby through the UCI Stakes at Flemington in two weeks followed by a run in the Geelong Derby Trial.
"His mother was a nice Pentire mare who won five or six races for us around the 2000-metre mark so he's certainly got the pedigree to stay and all the data we've got on him at home suggests that too," he said.
O'Brien said he was hopeful of unearthing another Derby horse in the Derby Trial at Flemington next Wednesday in the form of Zoffany colt Serious Liaison.
Second on the Melbourne trainers' premiership with eight wins so far this season, O'Brien said Miami Bound, who is by Reliable Man out of VRC Oaks winner Arapaho Miss, is being set for the Kennedy Oaks in November.
Danny O'Brien's winning run with three-year-olds in September:
- September 21 - Skiddaw scores at Caulfield. O'Brien purchased for $240,000 as a yearling at Magic Millions;
- September 20 - Need New Friends scores on debut at Kyneton. O'Brien purchased for $30,000 as a yearling;
- September 19 - Zoujea scores at second start at Sale. A $75,000 Melbourne Premier purchase;
- September 18 - Star Gold scores at Cranbourne at third start. Homebred;
- September 11 - Order Of Fury scores at Bendigo at second start. Homebred;
- September 11 - Serious Liaison scores at Bendigo at second start. Ultra Racing purchased for $80,000; and
- September 11 - Miami Bound scores at Bendigo at second win. Purchased by O'Brien for $120,000 at Karaka.
Story by Andrew Eddy for Racing.com
Pic by Racing Photos