Chris Hyland once thought he would have to tell Pantuo’s owners the horse was a dud but now he has Group One hopes for the three-year-old.

Pantuo failed to impress Hyland on the training track and in trials before he scored a shock debut win at Sale.

A son of Stratum, Pantuo fetched $NZ160,000 as a yearling in New Zealand but Hyland gave jockey Jamie Mott little cause for optimism when he legged him aboard on April 6.

“Prior to going to Sale, he’d showed nothing at all. He was a dud until he went for his first race,” Hyland said.

“I just said to Motty, `it hasn’t shown anything, just sit back and see if it will cart home’.”

Pantuo made light of his trackwork form when he sailed through heavy ground to score an easy debut win before he finished second in Benchmark 70 company during the Warrnambool carnival.

Hyland will test Pantuo as a Queensland Derby contender in the ALH Group Handicap (2000m) and the lightly raced stayer must win to earn a shot at the $500,000 event.

“We thought either Saturday’s race or one in Sydney next week would be perfect for him to have a go at,” Hyland said.

“He would have to win and win well to have a go at the Derby because he’ll need to get his rating up just to get in.”

The TAB assessed Pantuo as a $101 shot in its early Queensland Derby market while the betting agency has him at $35 to win Saturday’s competitive assignment.

The Danny O’Brien-trained filly Tear Gas is the $4.80 favourite ahead of $6.50 hopes Tikitour and Lady Tatia.

Mott has a full book of rides at Werribee on Saturday, leaving Mark Zahra to replace him on Pantuo.