Thirteen of the sixteen acceptors for Saturday's Group II Yarraman Park Tulloch Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill hold entries for the ATC Derby at Randwick on April 2.
The least experienced of that group is the Chris Waller-trained Paternal, who will attempt the feat in his first preparation.
Following a first-up win in a 1400m maiden at Newcastle on January 19, the Orbis Bloodstock colour-bearer was a solid finishing third over 1400m at Warwick Farm three weeks later. His most recent start came on a soft track over 1600m at Goulburn on March 1 when given a pearl of a ride by Hugh Bowman.
If that form hardly excites, Paternals' breeding is a wonderful blend of speed and stamina.
The son of Waikato Stud's multiple champion stallion Savabeel was a $280,000 purchase by Hiwi Lodge from the Waikato draft at the 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale.
At the same sale a year earlier, David Ellis outlaid $430,000 for a full brother named The Mighty Spar.
Paternal's dam O'Dianne (O'Reilly) won twice over 1100m. She is a daughter of the Pins mare Breezy who carried the Waikato silks to five wins, including the Group III Schweppervescence Trophy (Frances Tressady Stakes) (1400m) at Flemington.
Breezy was less than a length away from the winner Regal Cheer when fourth in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic at her next start.
Breezy is a half-sister to Dahlia's Legacy (Dahar) and Neo Star (Centaine), both Group winners and Group 1 performers in South Africa.
Neo Star's unraced sister Zeffi is the dam of Graeme Rogerson's marvellously resilient sprinter Century Kid.
The son of Centaine had some notable scalps at the Autumn Carnival in 2001 when downing Defier and Desert Sky in the Listed AJC South Pacific Classic, then downed Spinning Hill and Falvelon in the TJ Smith Stakes when it was rated a Group III.
Zephyr Magic (Zephry Bay), the dam of Breezey, was also a crack sprinter/miler in New Zealand, winning the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes and placing in the Group 1 WRC Telegraph Hcp.
Zephyr Magic's half-sister Flying Floozie is the dam of the 2004 AJC Australian Derby hero Starcraft.
Rosemont Stud's son of Soviet Star is one of the most underappreciated world travellers. He won five Group 1s in four countries, adding the Chipping Norton Stakes to his Australian tally, Mudgway Stakes in New Zealand, Prix du Moulin de Longchamp in France, and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes in England.
Another AJC Derby winner is a further generation back as Flying Floozie's dam Lucky Heiress (Battle-Waggon) is a half-sister to Jim Marconi's top-class Taras Bulba, who won the classic in 1974.
Trained by George Hanlon, Taras Bulba had already bagged the Rosehill Guineas before his Derby triumph when both races were held in the spring.
Three weeks after the Derby, Taras Bulba was runner-up to Battle Heights in the Cox Plate.
Trained in the latter part of his career by TJ Smith, Taras Bulba was disqualified from racing in Australia when he bled for a second time when second behind Red Ruffian on the Expressway Stakes at Randwick when conceding the winner 10kgs.
The son of Oncidium was sent to America to continue his career but numbered just one more win at Hollywood Park.
Marconi purchased Taras Bulba for $13,500 after accompanying Hanlon to the 1973 New Zealand National Yearling Sales at Trentham.
Taras Bulba had 12 wins, eight seconds and three thirds from 40 starts with earnings of $335,000.
