The punters are coming for the fillies in 2019 Queensland Derby betting on the weekend at Eagle Farm Racecourse with early money for a couple of the girls taking on the colts and geldings in the Group 1 this winter.
Nobu is favourite in 2019 Queensland Derby betting this winter. Photo: Steve Hart.
One of three Brisbane elite-levels on Stradbroke Handicap Day, the Group 1 $600,000 Queensland Derby (2400m) field is at capacity and currently four of the guaranteed 18 starters are fillies.
Of those two are under double-figures in the latest Queensland Derby odds at Ladbrokes.com.au with a move for both ATC Oaks runner-up Scarlet Dream ($7 into $6.50) and Re Edit ($10 into $8).
Current favourite in Queensland Derby markets is still the Chris Waller-trained Nobu ($4.40), the Kiwi expat tipped to make it three wins on the trot as he steps up to Group racing for the first time down under.
The grey son of Reliable Man was a luckless 17th of 18 runners back across the Tasman when things went amiss for him in the Group 1 NZ Derby (2400m).
Since that March run he transferred to Waller and has had two runs for the stable producing a first-up second before back-to-back wins.
His latest victory was at Randwick on May 25 in a BM74 for three-year-olds, Nobu carrying 59.5kg to victory over fellow Derby hopeful Carif on way to Queensland where he comes back to 57kg under the set weights conditions of the time-honoured clash.
Tommy Berry is back aboard Nobu in the Queensland Derby field having ridden him to a 4.3 length romp home on the Kensington track over 1800m in early May, the hoop confident the roomy Eagle Farm track will suit the top fancy.
“I think the Derby has fallen away a little bit, you can see that with a few of the fillies heading that way now,” Berry, who rode the 2016 Queensland Derby winner Eagle Way, told AAP.
“I think he’ll relish being on a big track at Eagle Farm because he gets back in his races a little bit.
“The only thing he can’t have is the track the way it was racing the other day where you had to be close to the fence and near the inside and a little bit on speed because he gets back and comes down the outside.”
The SA Derby third placed Mr Quickie is the $5 second pick before the firming fillies come into play.
Scarlet Dream may have a wide barrier (16) in the Derby, but the well-supported daughter of Sebring is out to keep the good winter form of trainer Mark Newnham going.
She too is expected to hit her stride with more room at Eagle Farm following her luckless seventh when she got badly checked before finishing only 2.5 lengths off the winner Etana in the Group 2 The Roses (2000m) at Doomben on May 18.
The filly the punters are really getting behind in Derby betting however is stablemate to the favourite, Re Edit, in gate nine with James McDonald riding the daughter of Camelot.
After a The Roses sixth, Re Edit backed-up and ran last Saturday against the older horses in the Group 2 P.J. O’Shea Stakes (2200m).
The call not to run her against her own kind in the Queensland Oaks may have been the wrong one, Re Edit running out of her skin in the P.J. O’Shea to finish under two lengths back third behind dual Group 1 winning mare Kenedna.
She gets the chance to atone here on the short seven day turnaround, Waller out to go one better with a filly than the third by his Oaks champ Youngstar in the race 12 months ago.
To check the latest Queensland Derby 2019 betting market moves and race comments head to Ladbrokes.com.au now.
