Derby Day is Christmas day for adults

The first day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival is Derby Day and as I often say…..it's like Christmas Day for adults.

There are group races everywhere you look - four of them Group One. If you love racing then Flemington is the place to be or watch, tomorrow.

The race I've been asked to give a brief view on is the race for the three year old stayers - the Victorian Derby. It is always a tough race to get a read on as the horses are all getting out to the 2500m journey for the first time, and it won't be until after the race we know who stays, and who doesn't.

It's A Dundeel is the favourite and why wouldn't he be with five wins from six starts, and the second in the Vase last weekend.

But last weekend's loss in the Vase at the Valley has me wanting to look elsewhere for the winner. I may well be very wrong in deviating from the fave.

No doubt he's an exceptional horse with an exceptional trainer and an exceptional future but history says a poor lead-up run with that sees a decline in your ratings in terms of your performance is hard to bounce back from.

On that basis I'm tending to look elsewhere and I feel as though Super Cool is a horse on the up and looked to relish the extra distance last week.

At home tomorrow, with an extra two furlongs, I think he is good value at around the $7. He is trained by the track specialist Mark Kavanagh and ridden by a jockey in exceptional form in Michael Rodd.

With Whobegotyou getting beaten by a 100/1 shot in 2008 and 2009 favourite Shamoline Warrior being scratched as the Derby favourite on the day of the race, Kav is probably 'due' a Derby.

For the multiples, my numbers are 1,4/1,3,4,5,8/1,3,4,5,8,9,

AAMI Victoria Derby Day telecast times:

Sydney: 11am – 6pm LIVE on Channel 7
5.30pm -6pm LIVE on 7TWO
Melbourne: 11am – 6pm LIVE on Channel 7
Brisbane: 10am – 5pm LIVE on Channel 7
Adelaide: 10.30am – 5.30pm LIVE on Channel 7
Perth: 8am – 3pm LIVE on Channel 7