Golden Easter Egg runner-up Dawkins Bale, exciting NSW newcomer No Donuts and Richmond Derby winner Quasi Bale are among the nominations for this Thursday’s Group 2 Glen Gallon @ Stud heats of the Queensland Derby (520m).
Five heats of the $50,000-to-the-winner series take place at Albion Park, with some of the country’s best chasers in action.
Dawkins Bale will jump from box four in the third heat with trainer Jenny Hunt no doubt hoping her charge can build on his impressive Golden Easter Egg display.
The Victorian sprinter was arguably the find of the series, running three sub-30 second efforts at Wentworth Park including a 29.47 semi-final and 29.74 effort in the final behind winner Fernando Bale.
Fellow Victorian Quasi Bale will also be making his first appearance at Albion Park when he jumps from box seven in the second heat.
After impressively winning last month’s Group 2 Richmond Derby, he finished a disappointing seventh in his Golden Easter Egg heat but has won over the 600m since then at The Meadows.
Tony Brett’s Whata Nice Size (box five) also goes in this heat and looks arguably the best roughie chance of the series.
He has 10 wins from 17 starts, including a 28.89 at Albion Park, and looked a strong contender for the recent Ipswich Auction series before falling in his heat.
No Donuts burst to prominence with an explosive performance in the Richmond Derby and already has two triumphs at Wentworth Park among his six career wins so far.
He was the favourite for the recent Group 3 New Sensation decider at Wentworth Park but was badly hampered at the first corner and eventually finished seventh.
Perhaps the most exciting contender is Dyna Villa (pictured), another from the gun Hunt kennel who has box one for the first heat and is arguably the series favourite.
This year’s Group 1 Ladbrokes Paws of Thunder winner has been racing solidly if not spectacularly recently against some of the country’s best and with the inside draw here will be hard to stop.
One of the less heralded names who looks tempting is Reg Hazlegrove’s Fabulous Storm, who jumps from box two in the fifth heat.
He ran an impressive 29.80 while winning at the Brisbane track last week and has been running consistently in recent weeks.
For Albion Park Thursday fields, form and expert picks, click here.
