The Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) is firmly in the crosshairs of Australian syndicator OTI Racing with their kiwi pair Full Of Sincerity and Mark Twain.
The three-year-olds ran third and fourth respectively in the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Te Rapa last Saturday and are now earmarked to cross the Tasman for the $2million feature.
Full Of Sincerity continued trainer Andrew Forsman's good run in the New Zealand Derby with OTI Racing horses, having won the 2018 edition of the race with Vin De Dance when training in partnership with Murray Baker.
The pair also prepared Quick Thinker for OTI to win the Group 2 Tulloch Stakes (2000m) and Australian Derby and Forsman will be looking to replicate those results with Full Of Sincerity this year.
“He is a lovely, developing stayer. He will certainly be a lot better, we would think given his physical and mental development, in 12 months time,” OTI Racing's Terry Henderson said.
“He has progressed very well over his last couple of runs.
“The plan is for him to come to Sydney if everything is okay. We will probably make a final decision on that next week once the horse is over the Te Rapa race (New Zealand Derby).
“All going to plan, we will start him in the Tulloch the week before the Derby and do what Murray and Andrew have done in the past so successfully.
“Generally, the horses that come over from New Zealand are excelling when they get here. It is terrific to have good horses and good horsemen coming across with them.”
Henderson is hoping the Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained Mark Twain will also gain a berth in the Derby, although what path he takes to the Randwick Classic is yet to be decided.
“He is a very exciting horse. We keep saying that he is probably a 2025 Melbourne Cup (Group 1, 3200m) horse. He is still learning his craft,” Henderson said.
“We will try and get a position on whether he is likely to make the Derby field.
“Full Of Sincerity will make the Derby field without another run. We hope to have a good idea on that (Mark Twain making the Derby field) in the next few days and that will dictate whether he has a prep run or goes straight into the Derby.”