Maffioso was a comfortable winner of the opening Alabar Victoria Derby heat
Any doubts about Maffioso’s standing a leading contender for next Saturday night’s $150,000 Group 1 Alabar Victoria Derby grand final were erased when the star colt was a dashing winner of Saturday night's opening $20,000 heat.
The Peter Tonkin-trained son of Presidential Ball atoned for his last-start third placing in the Caduceus Club Cup, when over-run after racing fiercely in the lead, to run his rivals ragged in the 2575-metre event.
The reigning Victorian Two-Year-Old of the Year gave star driver Brian Gath a much easier drive in the heat and as a result had plenty left to give in the home straight.
After being allowed to amble through the first 800 metres of the last mile in 61.9 seconds, Maffioso pulled out a 28.8-second third quarter and backed it up with a 28.4-second last split to prevail by five metres in a 2:01.3 mile rate.
“He was very relaxed tonight, it was just beautiful,” Gath said. “He ran some nice quarters and wasn’t pulling at all and that was the difference between winning and losing.”
Maffioso wasn’t the only impressive run of the opening heat. Star New South Wales colt Flite Dynasty ran home powerfully from the rear to the field to grab second place, while Im Full Of Fire also finished strongly to claim third money.
It was a similar story in the second heat, when Crusaders Castle was able to dictate terms and ran out a soft winner as a $1.40 favourite.
After pouncing on the lead from the inside barrier, Chris Alford was able to as he pleased aboard the Jayne Davies-trained colt. He cruised through the first half of the last mile in 63 seconds, then clocked a 57.8-second last half to hold out Best Of Times, which had travelled on the leader’s back.
Third was Tappies Pass, with Watchmefella sticking on gamely for fourth place.
There was no such loafing in the final Derby heat, which resulted in a win to heavily-backed favourite Tanabi Bromac ($2.10).
The Keith Cotchin-trained gelding raced a little erratically in the home straight, but he was still able to finish over the top of Im Mark Antony ($3.90) with early leader Bad Cat ($21) hanging on for third spot.
The disappointment of the final heat was last year’s 2YO Breeders Crown winner Flightpath, who enjoyed a lovely run on the leaders back but dropped out in the home straight and failed to beat a runner home.
Rounding out the field for Saturday night's final are Art Trader and Alberts Charm, who qualified as the two fastest fourth placegetters.
