Rubira winning the 2025 Queensland Derby
CHAMPION trainer Mark Purdon predicted Rubira was an open-class star in the making after his front-running win in last night’s Group1 Queensland Derby.
Driver Adam Sanderson balanced up from an outside draw then pushed forward and took the lead from favourite and main danger, Hesitate.
They ripped home in 54.2 and 26.8 and Hesitate had every chance, but could only get within three metres of Rubira in a 1min54.6sec mile rate for 2680m.
“Some three-year-olds are good but don’t take the next step to open-class, this horse will,” Purdon said.
“He’ll have a break now and go home to prepare for the big races later in the year.”
Rubira will now return to NZ and prepare for some major three-year-old races in Auckland at the end of the year.
He gave Kiwi owners Phil and Glenys Kennard, along with Ken and Karen Breckon, back-to-back Queensland Derby wins after they scored with Major Hot last year.
"We love this Queensland winter carnival and now to have the Inter Dominion part of it is even better," Phil Kennard said.
Hesitate lost no fans as he builds towards the TAB Eureka with a solid second after leading then taking a sit on Rubira.
Realistically, the 2680m trip is a stretch for a pacer like Hesitate with his brilliance.
Connections are expected to formalise a TAB Eureka slot for Hesitate in the next week or two.
Another key TAB Eureka contender, Fate Awaits, was arguably the run of the race for third.
In a peg dominated race, the Rising Sun winner came wide and hit the line strongly.
Fate Awaits looks certain to race in the TAB Eureka slot of his owners Kevin and Kay Seymour.
Geoff Webster's emerging Seathestars looks like another TAB Eureka contender after his terrific fourth in the Derby from an awful draw.
"I've always liked him, but he's even better than I thought," Webster said.
"We'd love to have a crack at the Eureka the way he just keeps improving."
PHOTO: Dan Costello
