KEY POINTS:
As New Zealand Derby tests go they do not get more do-or-die than the one Gallant passed with honours at Te Rapa on Saturday.
With Derby qualifying slots rapidly disappearing, the Richard Collett-trained Pukekohe gelding had to win the R70 1600m test to be any chance of making the field for the $2.2 million feature on February 28.
"It's all happening pretty quickly for the horse, but he just had this window of opportunity that says that if you race there and win you could go for the Championship Stakes," said Collett.
"That was his big opportunity in life and I think probably the hardest one for him to win in many ways.
"He was against the older horses and had to go 1600m second-up. But he relaxed well, is racing evenly and pretty resolutely and stays well.
"No one knows about the 2400m, but I've got no doubt he'll get the 2100m next-up - he took a lot of pulling up on Saturday."
Collett now hopes he can sneak the lightly-raced Gallant into what should be a cut-throat Championship Stakes (2100m) at Ellerslie on February 14.
That race carries automatic entry into the Derby a fortnight later for the first four runners.
"He's got the class to get there, that's for sure," said Collett, who saddled the well-fancied Sircross in the Derby last year.
"I'm just surprised at how tractable he is in his races. He has the barrier speed but relaxes so well in behind the speed - he has everything you want in a racehorse."
Owned and bred by greyhound specialist Gary Harding, Gallant started racing only in January, over 1300m at Tauranga.
But Collett said he purposely held the Volksraad son of the well-performed Grosvenor mare Limerick back for a knife-edge Derby lead-up.
"Sircross went pretty ordinary in the Derby last year but I think that was because he was at the end of his preparation," said Collett.
"With this horse we've aimed all along to have him peaking a lot later. I just hope it doesn't turn into a staying test on an off track, as it was last year."
Gallant now spearheads Collett's Derby attack.
