Stewart set for more success in Derby

It will be a huge upset if the Victoria Derby Final trophy doesn’t reside with a runner from the powerful Emma Stewart stable.

The country’s leading outfit houses the place getters in both heats from Melton on Saturday night.

Miki To Success backed up its win in the Vicbred Super Series Final with a narrow win over its equal $3.20 favorite Some American in the first heat with Kingman a brave third.

Driver Jackie Barker said she felt a sense of dejavu.

“The race panned out very similar (to the Vicbred Final) and I’m a bit shocked that he did get up but very happy,” Barker said.

“This sort of racing really suits him as he a really tough horse who gives everything and I’m looking forward to next week,” she said.

Best Deal caused a minor upset in the second heat when he outsprinted the $1.28 favorite Bay Of Biscay.

Driver Mark Pitt said the race scripted perfectly for his charge.

“I thought I’d elect to follow the best horse in the race and try and buzz him up the straight because I know how fast this little fella is off a trail,” Pitt said.

Interstate and overseas visitors captured the spoils in the heats of the Victoria Oaks.

The Chantal Turpin trained Queensland filly Aardie B Miki led all the way in the first heat with Pete McMullen in the sulky.

“I was really happy with the run as she is very casual in front, she did what she had to and had a bit left and we also know how fast she is off some cover,” McMullen said.

New Zealand filly Coastal Babe too led from start to finish in the second Oaks heat.

Driver James Herbertson believes the Steven Reid prepared filly will strip fitter in next week’s final.

“Tonight she showed   a glimpse of what she can do and I’m sure there is plenty left in the locker, next week is the main go and I’m sure if I had asked her to go from the 400 she would have broken 26 and half,” he said.

As expected, emerging superstar Keayang Zahara made a one act affair of the $50,000 Aldebaran Park Need For Speed Princess Final.

Driver Jason Lee was conscious of the Marg Lee trained filly backing up on three occasions in as many weeks.

“She was good, she obviously had the run last week and she’s got to race again next week so all going well we didn’t want to have too hard a run tonight,” Lee said.

Later in the night Nathan Jack received an early birthday present when Derek The Jet took his unbeaten career record to nine wins from as many starts in the $50,000 Aldebaran Park Need For Speed Prince Final.

Jack admitted he didn’t ask the son of Volstead to extend at any stage of the race.

“Look he had a good trip but Clayton Tonkin always used to say that there is only so much tread in the tyre and I want to leave as much tread on the tyre as I can especially leading into a Derby, so he wasn’t out there to break records,” Jack said.

by John Dunne, for Harness Racing Victoria