Arbitrage NZ Derby Bound

There were no more impressive winners at Kilmore on Tuesday than Arbitrage, the lightly raced and promising three-year-old breaking his maiden in spectacular style.

Taken to the lead by Jake Noonan, the son of Rip Van Winkle well and truly appreciated a step up in distance to claim the 1912m contest by a stunning seven lengths.

A horse who has always shown us staying talent, Arbitrage had derived great benefit from his first two runs over shorter trips and he won in the style of a horse with much more to offer.

"He is a lovely sort of colt who has just kept improving," Michael Moroney said, adding that the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby is the aim for the well related bay.

A 2014 Karaka purchase for Paul Moroney, Arbitrage - who is bred on the same Galileo/Danehill cross as the champion Frankel - is out of the city winning Danasinga mare My First Fifteen, half-sister to the Group One winner Sixty Seconds.

He is also closely related to last weekend's runaway NZ 2000 Guineas winner Xtravagant so it is a family in form!

It has been a great winning run for the stable (and we are still celebrating the success of Rhythm To Spare - pictured) and we are hoping that continues during the week as we saddle up nice horses at Bendigo and Warwick Farm on Wednesday.

Doing his best work late off a tardy start first up over 1400m, Lord Disick will appreciate the step up to the mile of the Country Vet Handicap, the sixth race on the Bendigo card.

To be ridden by Daniel Moor, the Pentire four-year-old will be at his best over longer trips but he has improved since his first up run and Moroney said he "could run a bold race."

Having his first run since April, Our Valdivia is topweight in the seventh race, the Stramit Building Handicap and he should run boldly.

"He did a great job last season," Moroney said of the four times winning, "and he has improved again this time around. He is forward enough to run a good race."

Lining up in the same event is Habitual Offender who is also first up from a spell. His best form is over longer trips but the 1400m suits fresh and he has drawn nicely in barrier four for Jake Noonan.

"He is going really well," Moroney said, noting that things did not go quite right for him last time in - "he just kept striking wet tracks. So we brought him back to Melbourne for the summer racing."

Sound Works looks to have her hoof firmly on the till after running very well at her first two starts without having the best of luck.

Suffering from a slight set-back (a low grade virus) since her game second to Zara Bay at Warwick Farm in mid-October, she has progressed well since and she looks primed to break her maiden with Kerrin McEvoy aboard.

"She got over that problem quickly and she should prove hard to beat," Moroney said.