Two graduates of Rich Hill's 2016 Karaka yearling draft will take their place in Saturday's Group I New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie.
The Bruce Wallace and Allan Peard-trained Secret Ambition and the Lisa Latta-prepared He's A Freak will both take their place in the $1 million feature to be run over the classic distance of 2400 metres.
Both horses are rated outside chances, but
on pedigree should run out a strong 2400m, with Secret Ambition being sired by
2011 Derby winner Jimmy Choux out of the Pentire mare Lionstar.
He's A Freak is from the first crop of Pentire's son He's Remarkable with both horses bred and raised at Rich Hill.
Jimmy Choux will also be represented by the Roger James-trained Jimmy Rocket.
Another 2016 graduate Formidable was high up in the Derby betting after winning the Auckland 3YO Salver, a Listed Derby trial over 2100m earlier in the season.
Trained by Shaune Ritchie, the son of Shocking was sold to Hong Kong interests immediately after that Ellerslie success and will be set for the Hong Kong Derby later in the year.
Meanwhile, there is positive news regarding another Derby prospect sold from Rich Hill's 2016 Karaka yearling draft.
The Anthony Freedman-trained Tavistock Abbey, who was one of the favourites for the Gr.1 VRC Derby earlier this season before jarring up at Caulfield, is now back in work and being set for the Gr.1 Queensland Derby later this year.
"It is a great credit to our land, environment and staff to have so many Derby contenders come out of the one Karaka draft and it confirms our position as one of Australasia's leading sources of classic horses," Rich Hill principal John Thompson said.
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