Gamblin’ Guru has the pedigree to win a Derby but whether the spring is too soon will be determined by his first distance test at Geelong on Wednesday.
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Adelaide trainer Leon Macdonald used the 2200m provincial feature as the Victoria Derby lead-up for Rebel Raider, third at Geelong in 2008 before springing a 100-1 upset at Flemington.
Gamblin’ Guru is by English Derby winner New Approach out of Glory Guru, a half-sister to Gold Guru who ran fifth at Flemington but shone the following autumn in Sydney with a weight-for-age victory over Might And Power in the Ranvet before he won the Australian Derby from Tie The Knot.
Macdonald said the three-year-old would have to pull something out of the box to prompt his owners to pay the $82,500 late entry fee for the Victoria Derby (2500m) on Saturday week.
But he also said although Gamblin’ Guru had won just one race, the form around him justified his favouritism in the six-horse field at Geelong and could spark higher ambitions if a gear change brings the desired result.
“Blinkers go on which I think will help him over the distance,” Macdonald said.
“He is an immature horse so whether he is ready for a Derby at this stage I’m not sure.
“But I do think he will be ready by the Australian Derby in the autumn.”
Macdonald, who trains in partnership with his son-in-law Andrew Gluyas, said the blinkers were prompted by Gamblin’ Guru’s last-start second to the Peter Moody-trained Derby aspirant Storm Approach in a Listed 1800m race at Morphettville last Saturday week.
“I thought he was going to win that race but he didn’t go on with it at the finish,” he said.
“Two starts before that he finished in front of Storm Approach in a shorter race when he was third behind Hucklebuck.
“And before that he was fourth and not far behind Eclair Big Bang. Both those winners have proved that Adelaide form.
Eclair Big Bang won the Caulfield Guineas Prelude while his Philip Stokes-trained stablemate Hucklebuck won the Listed Gothic Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday.
