Racing: Montjeu may notch double from final southern crop

Montjeu is regarded as one of the world's premium producers of stayers as evidenced by his five runners in the AJC Australian Derby.

Unfortunately, his success means he has been lost to Australasia and his Derby runners at Randwick today are representatives of the last crop of his final season at Windsor Park Stud.

He now resides permanently at Coolmore in Ireland, with Galileo, sire of Derby favourite Sousa.

Last year, Montjeu's son Nom Du Jeu turned in a stunning performance to win the Derby (2400m) from fellow New Zealander Red Ruler and the Kiwis are back on a mission to do it again.

Father-and-son team Murray and Bjorn Baker are defending the classic with another Montjeu in Harris Tweed, while Red Ruler's trainer John Sargent said it would be folly to leave Old Jock out of the equation.

Harris Tweed stamped himself as a genuine Derby contender with victory in last Saturday's Tulloch Stakes from Dr Doute's with Old Jock, also a son of Montjeu, a close third.

Harris Tweed firmed in markets after drawing barrier two, while Old Jock had fewer friends when he came up with 15 of 16, something that does not concern Sargent.

"They're both by Montjeu and they both stay," Sargent said.

"The big thing is the 2400m and getting up the rise. It finds a lot of them out."

The other Derby runners by Montjeu are the Bart Cummings-trained Roman Emperor and outsiders Naval Escort and Buccaneers Prize from the David Payne stable.

- AAP