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Jockey Kerrin McEvoy will be chasing a first Queensland Derby crown on improving colt Global Ausbred.
The Group 1 Queensland Derby will be the first time Global Ausbred is exposed to stakes racing, but his progression thus far has given trainer Brad Widdup the confidence to aim high.
The colt is bred to be a classic contender, being by Maurice, the sire of dual Derby winner Hitotsu, out of Ponte Piccolo, who finished runner-up in the 2005 Adrian Knox Stakes and fifth to Dizelle in that year's ATC Australian Oaks.
The three-year-old has been a slow burn and is in just his second racing campaign, but the improvement he has shown since breaking has maiden at Goulburn less than two months ago has convinced Widdup he is above-average.
At his past three starts, Global Ausbred has posted a brace of wins at Canterbury and Newcastle and sandwiched in between was a fifth over 1800m at the stand-alone Hawkesbury Saturday meeting.
"To win three in a preparation, he went from a maiden to a midweek against older horses and then to a (benchmark) 78 in town at the Hawksbury stand-alone meeting and I haven't had many horses able to do that and be competitive," Widdup said.
"I think he is a pretty handy horse.
"I'm not getting carried away, but I will be disappointed if he doesn't run well."
Crucially, Global Ausbred has drawn barrier five in the 18-horse Derby field and will be partnered by big race jockey Kerrin McEvoy, who is looking for a breakthrough win in the Queensland classic.
Widdup hopes the good draw will give his charge every opportunity to run out a strong 2400m against his own age.
"It makes the job a little bit easier for him," he said.
"He likes to roll forward and I'm not saying he has to lead, but he will be up in that first half of the field and we can get going when we need to."
The barrier Gods were not as kind to stablemate Vulpine, who has gate 17 in the Listed Helen Coughlan Stakes (1200m).
Widdup is weighing up whether to run the last-start Ortensia Stakes winner from the wide draw or wait a week for the Moreton Cup (1200m).
