Former Kiwi galloper Inverell will contest Wednesday’s Victoria Derby Preview (1800m) at Flemington.

The son of Shocking made a good impression when winning at Sale on debut and has been set on a path towards the Gr.1 VRC Derby (2500m) by trainer Clayton Douglas, who prepares the three-year-old for OTI Racing.

“As soon as he came into the stable, he was a horse that showed us he has got a big engine and a beautiful big action. The further the trip gets, the better he is going to be. It is exciting times going forward for him,” Douglas told RSN.

“He was still a little bit inexperienced going to Sale and the raceday experience will have brought him on. He had a nice week or ten days at home and he bounced out of the run in terrific order.

“Luke Currie trialled him for me at Cranbourne last week and thought his trial was really nice and he goes into Wednesday’s race in good shape. I am looking forward to seeing what he can do.”

Douglas expects the gelding to put himself in the contest from barrier seven and hopes there is genuine tempo to play to the Kiwi bred’s staying strengths.

“He is a horse that can begin quick and put himself right there. I just think with a bit of tempo on it will really suit him, it will suit his strengths,” he said.

“He is very exciting and a nice horse to have in the stable. I’m lucky to have horses of this calibre in my stable this early in my career, that I’m talking about Derbys with.”

Bred by Haunui Bloodstock, in conjunction with Melbourne-based Dennis and Maureen Nicol, Inverell was initially offered at last year’s South Island Sale but failed to meet his $20,000 reserve.

Connections elected to take the promising stayer to the next stage of his development, sending him to Byerley Park trainer Steven Cole, for whom he had two trials including a runner-up finish at Avondale over 1050m, before bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo secured the prospect for OTI Racing. – NZ Racing Desk