A real upset in Derby heat

The famed Purdons breathed new life into next week’s Victoria Derby after The Real Sherlock (Vincent) scored a shock harness racing win in the second heat of the Woodlands Stud Victoria Derby. 

With Petracca prevailing as expected in the first heat, most punters anticipated his stable mate The Lost Storm would do likewise in his heat as a prohibitive $1.12 favorite. 

And things were going to script when The Lost Storm held the lead from the pole with Greg Sugars making a mid-race move to sit parked before landing the one out one back trail on the back of Perfect Class. 

Alarm bells began ringing when Perfect Class joined The Lost Storm at the top of the home stretch however it was The Real Sherlock ($13) who peeled out three wide and produced a powerful finale to score by half a neck from Perfect Class with The Lost Storm four metres away third. 

SHERLOCK FINDS THE LINE! 🔍

The Real Sherlock has stormed over the favourite for trainers Mark and Nathan Purdon and driver Greg Sugars to book a spot in the Woodlands Stud Victoria Derby Final. pic.twitter.com/IkUOiEKqRz

— The Trots (@TheTrotsComAu) October 7, 2023

The winner is prepared in New Zealand by the father and son training combination of Mark and Nathan Purdon. 

Sugars admitted he wasn’t confident of gliding past The Lost Storm in the home straight. 

“I knew that I had a horse that was full of running who was travelling well and we know how fast he is but I wasn’t confident that I could run past them, but I thought that I would get close,” Sugars said. 

Sugars said he had no hesitation in pressing forward to join The Lost Storm at the head of affairs 

“We were quite happy to sit quietly or sit parked ourselves as he is a pretty relaxed sort of customer, he sort of waits for you to tell him when to go,” he said.  

Sugars acknowledged the magnitude of the task at hand in next week’s Derby Final. 

“He’s up to the task but it’s a high quality field that going to be assembled next week so barrier draws and luck in running is going to the very crucial as always,” he said. 

For complete race results, click here.

by John Dunne, for Harnesslink