VICTORIA DERBY

[Rogan Josh]

1 HELENUS Leon Corstens 55.5
2 PLATINUM SCISSORS Gai Waterhouse 55.5
3 HYDROMETER Leon Macdonald 55.5
4 MASKERADO (NZ) Graeme Rogerson 55.5
5 ROHATYN (NZ) Robbie Laing 55.5
6 AIN'T HERE Peter G Moody 55.5
7 GENERAL MINOLTA Peter G Moody 55.5
8 WILD HEART Graeme Rogerson 55.5
9 SIR PENTIRE (NZ) Robbie Laing 55.5
10 DAVIDOFF (NZ) Michael Moroney 55.5
11 DIAMOND JAKE Brian Mayfield-Smith 55.5
12 MAJOR WOODY David Brideoake 55.5
13 ZYLVESTER Mathew Ellerton 55.5
14 MOUNT KOSCIUSKO (NZ) Tony McEvoy 55.5
15 GRAND LOVER Sonja Kumpikas 55.5
16 JUDES LAW Libby Haworth 55.5

Hard to go past the top two (HELENUS & PLATINUM SCISSORS), perhaps DAVIDOFF ?

[guernica]

First post...so hello all :smile:

Platinum Scissors
Davidoff
Helenus
for me too !!

Guernica

[Equine Investor]

Me too but I just can't get away from the fact that Helenus must not race greenly at any stage to win this race - so I think Platinum Scissors will emulate Nothin' Leica Dane and then they'll get so confident that after the Melbourne Cup it will never race again.

:sad:

[Redcraze]

PLATINUM SCISSORS

Equine,I am still banking on the hope that Gai learned a lesson from Nothin'Leica Dane
or
perhaps the owners will say no to her just as the owner of TULLOCH over ruled her father
in 1957.

Agree with Equine,Helenus is as as talented as they come,but gee he's got some learning to do!I really think his greeness will bring him undone,and certainly won't be taking the shorts on offer.Platinum Scissors is undoubtedly blessed his share talent too,his last win was amazing after one J.(pumper)Cassidy sat 3 and 4 wide all the way,he was entitled to weaken,but didn't.Having said all that,my tip is for Ain't Here on an eachway basis.Don't forget this horse ran 2nd to Helenus in the Bill Stutt,and 3rd to Platinum Scissors in the Norman Robinson,so the formline is there.He is trained by Peter Moody,who won this race last year with Amalfi.I note with interest Moody's quitely confident,and has taken the blinkers off for this race.As was evidenced last year,and reiterated by Moody himself,the two best horses last year appearred to be Viscount and Ustinov.Neither won. Happy days

[Reenster]

Zylvester has been close up each start this time in. Finished 6th to Platinum Scissors at Caulfield with no luck (Greg Childs had a look at the patrol video but didn't lodge a protest).

It's hard to go past the 2 favs but there's so much media hype about them, you'll struggle to get any value. Despite what they say, this is not a two horse race.

33/1 about Zylvester seems pretty good value.

[TESTAROSSA]

The Derby is always a great race for value.

Remember last years Derby where Ustinov and Viscount were the only horses talked about and what happened Amalfi the third fav comes out and beats 2 roughies (Zarek and Pentastic) which were the only 2 horses i backed in the race (Wish Zarek had a longer neck!!!).

The year before i thought Hit The Roof was a great chance to take it out and of course we know he did at a very generous price of about 10/1.

My advice steer clear of the 2 favs but by all means take as standouts in exotics if you do like them but back something you like that will seem appreciative of the distance and has good last start form , i.e running on at the end of the race finishing just behind the placegetters seems a very good formguide over the years or a horse that lead and continued to give down the straight.

As the 2 major lead up races are the Geelong Derby Trial (2200m) and the Norman Robinson (2000m) i suggest 2 horse fall into this category , namely Davidoff and Hydrometer and to a lesser extent maybe Zylvester.

Good Luck To All.

[BettyBoop]

I see only four genuine chances in the Derby.

Platinum Scissors – well drawn and definitely well suited by the distance and the long run home.

Davidoff – shapes as a stayer in the making. Very unlucky last start.

Helenus – will look the winner at the 100m, think the other two will outstay him.

Maskerado – could be value if ridden back in the field, and saved for a late run.

[Paddy]

Courtesy aapracingandsports

Thursday, 31 October 2002: Platinum Scissors, pre-post favourite for Saturday’s Gr 1 AAMI Victoria Derby, has been scratched.

The colt was found to be running an elevated temperature on Thursday and was treated with antibiotics following a veterinary examination.

This rules out any possibility of a start in Saturday’s Derby or Tuesday’s Gr 1 Toohey’s Melbourne Cup.

Platinum Scissors will be spelled immediately to prepare for the autumn.

[pharlap]

platinum will go gold yessiree!

[Tab Hunter]

Helenus looks the obvious pick, but he worries me a little. He is still green, and races with his head in the air. I know they use a nose roll, and it worked great last week, but he doesn't look like he enjoys it much, and at the odds is far too greater risk, especially considering he is also untried over the distance.

I prefer a safer option in Zylvester. Has the widest barrier, but does race back, and Childs will slot him in. Zabeel out of a Storm Cat mare, and they don't come any better breeding wise. Still a maiden, but beaten under 2 lengths his last 4 starts, and Mathew Ellerton has a nack of causing surprizes in big races. Great value, and a definite each way for mine. Will stay.

[Dude]

Its HYDROMETER for me.
Helenus will be way too short and Hydrometer has a better record at Flemington than Helenus.
Much better value.

Dude