Matt Dunn believes Sagacious can run a cheeky race in the Queensland Derby at long odds.
On pedigree, Sagacious hardly appeals as a classic style of horse.
He is by Foxwedge, whose progeny are usually sprinters and occasionally milers, out of multiple stakes placegetter Vecchia Roma, who couldn’t win beyond 1200m.
But the three-year-old will line up in Saturday’s Queensland Derby and trainer Matt Dunn is adamant he will have no issue with the 2400 metre journey.
During the summer, Sagacious downed subsequent Randwick Guineas placegetter Harmony Rose over a mile at Warwick Farm and backed it up with a 1900m win at Canterbury, giving Dunn the confidence to aim higher.
While the horse has mixed his form in four runs this campaign, including a last-start flop in the Rough Habit Plate, he has shown enough glimpses of promise for Dunn to persevere.
“There is no way in the world he should be running these trips, but he does,” Dunn said.
“His last prep, he beat some really nice horses.
“Last start is a blot on his page, but you take that out of the equation and he’s got the action of a horse who will run a mile-and-a-half.”
After resuming with a solid, midfield performance over 1400m at Hawkesbury in March, Sagacious was unplaced in the South Pacific Classic before leading and rallying for third against older horses over 1800m at Hawkesbury.
He led and knocked up badly in the Rough Habit Plate (2000m) but Dunn felt he had genuine excuses.
“He looked horribly disappointing last start but there were probably a few reasons for it,” Dunn said.
“He went a bit quick in front and as the day went on, the part of the track he was on was no good at all. Maybe he didn’t travel so well, he only arrived the Thursday before the race and maybe that was the issue.
“But he seems to have come through the run well and I don’t want to condemn him on one poor performance.”
Sagacious is a $101 chance for the Queensland Derby in a race that is wide open outside $2.60 favourite Explosive Jack, who is bidding to add it to his victories in the Tasmanian, Australian and South Australian classics.
Article from JustHorseRacing.com.au