KEY POINTS:
High profile trainers Stephen McKee and John Sargent head down parallel paths as they blast their way towards the $700,000 Mercedes Derby in two weeks.
The pair are blessed with two each of the leading Derby hopefuls.
McKee will produce Avancer and Pierre Joseph and Sargent's Derby runners will be Il Divo and Red Ruler and it would not be an impossibility for the quartet to become four of the first five Derby favourites with last week's group one weight-for-age winner Mission Critical.
Much of that will be decided when the four clash in tomorrow's $100,000 Lexus Championship Stakes at Ellerslie.
Red Ruler is the fascinating horse of the quartet because of his johnny-come-lately element.
His career spans just four starts and does not include a middle distance race, where all the leading chances here have competed at 2000m or further.
John Sargent pays Red Ruler the ultimate compliment.
"In terms of natural ability he's as good as any horse I've trained."
But even Sargent is unsure what the middle distance means to that equation.
"There has to be a query on him over this trip (2100m), particularly from his wide barrier draw.
"I'd have loved him to have drawn handy and we could have just buried him away along the inside, but from out there (barrier No15) he's going to have to go back.
"He just might have too much brilliance at this point for 2100m. In his work he whips into it a bit, but so far he hasn't been too bad on raceday.
"If he manages the distance he'll go forward to the Derby, if not he'll be spelled."
Il Divo could not be more different than his stablemate. He's casual and laidback and was born to be a middle distance performer.
His seconds in the Great Northern Guineas and Waikato Guineas had a sense that he's taking gradual, unhurried steps towards reaching his staying potential and that this race and the Derby are going to see the best of him. "He's a foolproof horse and he'll get the trip," said Sargent.
"There isn't much between the top six of these colts and the track conditions and the runs they get are going to decided this race and the Derby."
Avancer finished only eighth when beaten favourite in the Great Northern Guineas, but it would unwise to use that as a guide.
In a slowly run race that counted heavily against back runners, Avancer was checked back from a mid-field position mid-race then had to go wide to try and make ground on the leaders.
He finished only three lengths from the winner Prince Kaapstad and showed his class with a stunning 1600m victory at Ellerslie on January 27.
Pierre Joseph's close fourth in the Waikato Guineas was the effort of a definite improver. The additional 100m this time will be in his favour.
Trainer Richard Collett has a serious player in Sircross, who he believes would have won the Waikato Guineas instead of finishing third had he not struck home-straight trouble.
Sircross can race a bit too keenly for his own good and as a back runner is always vulnerable to racing luck.
"It would suit him if there was a strong pace," said Collett. "He's a very strong horse and he's in good shape."
Nom Du Jeu put his hand up for the Derby with a dominating Waikato Guineas victory. He got back, did not receive the best passage through, but still managed to get over the top of IL Divo and Sircross.
