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Son of Foxwedge hoping to outrun odds in Group 1 at Eagle Farm

Trainer Matt Dunn is expecting a big performance from $101 outsider Sagacious (Foxwedge) when he lines up in the Queensland Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

The three-year-old is by Woodside Park-based sire Foxwedge (Fastnet Rock) who is better known for siring sprinters, but Dunn is confident Sagacious will have no issues with Saturday’s Group 1 trip. 

During the summer, Sagacious downed subsequent Randwick Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) third Harmony Rose (Glass Harmonium) over a mile at Warwick Farm and backed it up with a 1900 metres win at Canterbury, giving Dunn the confidence to aim higher. 

While the horse has mixed his form in four runs this campaign, including a last-start flop in the Rough Habit Plate (Gr 3, 2000m), he has shown enough glimpses of promise for Dunn to persevere. 

"There is no way in the world he should be running these trips, but he does," Dunn said. 

"His last prep, he beat some really nice horses. 

"Last start is a blot on his page, but you take that out of the equation and he's got the action of a horse who will run a mile-and-a-half." 

After resuming with a solid, midfield performance over 1400 metres at Hawkesbury in March, Sagacious was unplaced in the South Pacific Classic (Listed, 1400m) before leading and rallying for third against older horses over 1800 metres at Hawkesbury. 

He led and knocked up badly in the Rough Habit Plate but Dunn felt he had genuine excuses. 

"He looked horribly disappointing last start but there were probably a few reasons for it," Dunn said. 

"He went a bit quick in front and as the day went on, the part of the track he was on was no good at all. Maybe he didn't travel so well, he only arrived the Thursday before the race and maybe that was the issue. 

"But he seems to have come through the run well and I don't want to condemn him on one poor performance."