KEY POINTS:
The TAB bookies think Sydney colt Redoute's Dancer will win the $700,000 Mercedes Derby on Saturday week.
It took only about 10 seconds of Saturday's $100,000 Mercedes Championship Stakes to convince them.
That's as long as it took Redoute's Dancer to put paid to New Zealand's Derby aspirants when Vinny Colgan pulled him away from his beautiful spot on the inside rail.
The handsome son of crack sire Redoute's Choice dispelled the suggestion he might be a one-paced grinder.
"Make no mistake, this horse has got a sprint," said a delighted Colgan.
The TAB quickly promoted Redoute's Dancer from $9 for the Derby to $4 favourite, easing the lone-time favourite Magic Cape from $4 to $5.
Magic Cape (fourth) looked the only beaten runner on Saturday that has any chance of turning the result around on the Australian colt in the Derby, although the possibility of fabulous filly Veloce Bella running in the Derby is still in the wings.
As impressive as Redoute's Dancer was, he had every possible favour.
Colgan won the race when he managed to get Redoute's Dancer hidden away three places back along the rail from a midfield barrier.
Caretaker trainer Maurice Campbell, a three-time winner of the Derby on Ellerslie, couldn't believe his eyes.
"My main worry was the horse getting lost going around that sharp bend out of the Ellerslie straight three wide from his draw, and he ends up back on the rail. I don't know what all the panic was about."
Redoute's Dancer was similarly aided by the fact the rail was out 8.5 metres making life difficult for back runners, something that was exaggerated by a very slow speed in the middle stages and a mad dash home.
"I was worried the leaders weren't going quick enough for him at the 800m," said Campbell.
But Redoute's Dancer showed he has more than enough turn of foot to cope with most situations when Colgan ensured he was in the right place at the right time.
Colgan couldn't find enough superlatives for the colt.
"He was very exciting when I went for him. He's lovely."
Bad luck notwithstanding, Redoute's Dancer looks to have the previously well fancied Stolen Thunder beaten in the Derby.
Stolen Thunder tracked the winner along rail, but was outsprinted by three lengths in the closing stages.
Magic Cape is the horse that will finish closer in the Derby.
The lead time for the last 600m was 34.46, making it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to swoop home successfully from the back.
The rail will be back in for the Derby, making it much easier for those in the second half of the field.
There is no question Redoute's Dancer will see out the 2400m - his dam Condescendance is by staying sire El Gran Senor and his granddam won the English Oaks.
"That's why we've been patient with him," said trainer Tim Martin, who watched the race on television in Sydney, but will be here for the Derby.
With his breeding, Redoute's Dancer will become a valuable stallion prospect if he wins the Derby, so there is a lot of pressure for the camp.
He is owned by Perth businessman Paul Sylvester, who paid A$260,000 for the colt at a Magic MIllions sale.
"It's Paul's first horse and he watched the race on the internet in Perth.He wasn't coming over to Ellerslie for the Derby, he said he had business to do, but I told him he can do business anytime - this is important stuff," Martin said.
"So he's coming."
Martin was thrilled with the ride and immediately offered Colgan the mount in the Derby, as the colt's Australian jockey, Jim Cassidy, will almost certainly be booked for important rides on Chipping Norton Stakes day at Warwick Farm.
Benedict stuck on well for second after setting a slow pace, ensuring the Lance O'Sullivan and Andrew Scott stable will have two Derby runners after Stolen Thunder's third placing.
Well-fancied filly Uberalles settled back from a wide gate and failed to make any impression.
Indications were she will now be switched to the Oaks at Trentham.
