The 2024 Victoria Derby dreams are well and truly alive for Kingofwallstreet who got his head down right on the line to narrowly deny China Sea in a photo-thriller in the Group 3 Caulfield Classic (2000m).

Caulfield Cup Day racing features a number of key lead-up to the spring classics including the 2024 Caulfield Classic – run as the Sportsbet Classic – contested by a small field of three-year-olds eyeing a run in the Group 1 $3 million Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington on November 2.

To date five horses have completed the Caulfield Classic – Victoria Derby double: Omnicorp (1987), Nothin’ Leica Dane (1995), Blackfriars (1999), Amalfi (2001), and most recently Polanski (2013).

The price on Kingofwallstreet to be the next have firmed with the Matt Cumani-trained Dundeel colt racing up to his good staying pedigree with a tight victory off a lovely ride Michael Dee.

“As soon as we were going there was a kind of crawl all the way around and I was very worried about it,” winning trainer, Cumani, told Racing.com post-win.

“We thought that might happen, it happened last year as well, and we wanted to try and be a bit closer this year, but Mick Dee rode him beautifully and great to get the win.

“I just thought the angle was a bit tricky but he’s a tough little horse and it’s great to see him do well.”

The Caulfield Classic field was reduced to just six runners with the late scratching of the second favourite, Red Aces, who got fractious in the gates.

He was subsequently vetted and officially scratched on vet’s advice with skin off his hind leg.

The diminutive field was led around by West Indies who had zero pressure up front leading at a crawl.

The pace quickened with 600m to go as the odds-on favourite, Super Impose Stakes winner Keeneland chasing a hat-trick, moved up on the outside to challenge.

Onto the straight and the task was set for Keeneland as the John Sargent-trained Fastnet Rock gelding China Sea came with a late run between horses and Kingofwallstreet charged up to make it four across with 150m to go.

With Keeneland just unable to match the late pace, it was a two-horse race over the final 100m with China Sea and Kingofwallstreet going stride for stride.

The photo showed the outside horse, Kingofwallstreet, was just able to snare the victory with China Sea losing few admirers on his way to a Derby also.

Keeneland the beaten shortie ran third to complete the trifecta.

Kingofwallstreet pays $11 in the current all-in 2024 Victoria Derby odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au with Cumani very keen on the Group 1 target.

“Of course, yeah,” he said.

“I think he’ll relish the trip, and I think over that distance he will be a bit more versatile.

“It was a good test today to see that he can break well and put himself in a decent spot. It was good to see him on some soft ground. I don’t think we’ll get that on Derby Day, but we could, and at least now we know he’ s versatile.

“The Derby’s a race we really try and target.”

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