Racing: Werther on track for Derby

Werther dashes away from the older gallopers in the Eagle Farm Cup at Doomben on Saturday. Photo / News Ltd

Likely scratching of prepost favourite gives Wairarapa gelding a shot at group one glory.

Kiwi galloper Werther is almost certain to start a short-priced favourite in the Queensland Derby on Saturday.

Sydney trainer Chris Waller has all but ruled out a start by current favourite Winx, outstanding winner of Saturday's Queensland Oaks.

Yesterday Winx was the Derby favourite at $2.80 with Werther second elect at $5 off the back of his solid win in Saturday's A$250,000 Eagle Farm Cup.

"My advice is not to run Winx," said Waller. "The only chance she has of running is if the owners overrule me, which I doubt will happen. At best I'd rate her a five per cent chance of running."

In terms of the Queensland Derby, Werther came from virtually nowhere off a second in the South Australian Derby to boom Western Australian filly Delicacy. At that point there was doubt he would travel to Queensland.

"It was 50/50 at best," Wairarapa trainer Andrew Campbell told the Herald from Brisbane yesterday. "But we figured like everyone, they're only three once and there is a lot of money on offer."

The owners stand to make a small fortune off the punt alone if Werther is successful on Saturday; they backed the horse at $21 before the Queensland trip was announced publicly.

There will be disappointment in the ranks, though. Managing owner Tommy Heptinstall was in Auckland last night getting ready to board a flight to England where he will spend the next couple of months.

"Tommy goes to England for a few months every year at this time," said Campbell. "He booked his flights before the decision was made [on the Queensland trip] and he said it would cost him a small fortune to change all his flights to wait for Saturday's race, so even though he's pissed off he decided to go anyway."

Campbell is too astute to get confident and embrace the belief of Australian bookmakers, but he has real confidence in his horse.

"He had a real blow after the race yesterday and he's come through that really well. He hadn't raced for weeks and he'll be a better horse this time."

The problem will be who rides Werther in the Derby.

The ownership team were happy with the way Australian jockey Noel Callow rode him in the South Australian Derby, but Callow could not make the 55.5kg weight for Saturday. Brisbane rider Jim Byrne did an excellent job, presenting the owners with a problem.

"We've left that entirely up to Tommy," said Campbell. "He can have that headache."

Campbell believes being able to put Werther in a paddock in Brisbane has improved the horse.

"He wasn't quite himself in Melbourne, where he was stabled for his Adelaide campaign, but up here being able to go out into a paddock has seen him grow another leg."

Campbell has said all the way through that Werther is a weak, under-developed 3-year-old, and he looks that way, which means he has a huge future as a 4-year-old.

Lining up for Derby
•Wairarapa gelding Werther is likely to start a firm favourite for the Queensland Derby next Saturday.
•He had few problems outstaying a handy field of stayers in the Eagle Farm Cup last Saturday.
•However, managing owner Tommy Heptinstall will miss the race as he will be in England.