Racing: Derby dreaming

Andrew Scott will always remember the week leading up to the 2004 New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie for one reason - the amount of walking he had to do with Xcellent.

Scott trains Xcellent in partnership with Mike Moroney at Matamata and the three-year-old threw an injury scare into the stable three days before the New Zealand Derby when he strained muscles in his hindquarters.

The muscle strain was only on a minor scale, but the Moroney-Scott stable could not afford to risk further injury by allowing the thoroughbred to stride out at full speed on the training track leading into the $500,000 event on Boxing Day.

The alternative was to walk Xcellent for long periods of time to loosen the muscle stiffness and Scott freely admits ruining a pair of shoes performing this task.

But the dedication was well-rewarded when Xcellent unleashed a stunning sprint from well off the pace to win New Zealand's premier event for three-year-olds.

"I spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day walking this horse for two hours in the morning and three hours in the afternoon," said Scott.

"We couldn't run the risk of letting him stride out at full speed on the training track in case the injury was irritated.

"The walking loosened the muscle strain and we walked him around the jog and training track at Matamata doing the same amount of rounds he would when exercised at full speed.

"He was doing the same distance in his exercise but he was walking it.

"On Boxing Day we got him up to Ellerslie on the first available transporter and he did a solid three hours of walking before the Derby to make sure he had fully loosened up.

"It obviously didn't affect him because he came out and won the Derby.

"He had only had two starts before the Derby but we knew we had him fit and ready to run out a tough 2400 metres."

Xcellent has been out in the spelling paddock since the race and he returns to the Moroney-Scott stable next Friday

He begins a new campaign which may have him racing in Sydney in the AJC Derby on March 26.

"Paul Moroney and Jim Marks [stable veterinarian] went out to the paddock on Wednesday to have a look at Xcellent out spelling and they said he looks very well.

"He came a long way in a short time in his preparation.

He had two race starts and then came out and won the New Zealand Derby.

"I'm sure he would have strengthened up with the spell.

"If everything falls into place we will be looking to take him across to Sydney for the autumn carnival.

"The one thing he is going to have to learn to cope with will be having two races within a close period of time when he goes to Sydney.

"We got away with having plenty of spacing between his two race starts in his first campaign but that won't be the case if he goes to Sydney. I think the trip away to Australia and racing experience will benefit this horse particularly if we want to campaign him again in Australia as a four-year-old."