Sabrage & Wall Street our Saturday feature runners

The barrier gods have not been kind to our South Australian Derby candidate Sabrage - the talented three-year-old drawing the outside gate 20 for Saturday's $500,000 Group One contest.

Also drawing the widest gate in the AJC Derby and barrier 14 in the Victoria Derby, Sabrage deserves a change of luck - and let's hope he gets it in running!

"It is very disappointing to again draw so badly," Michael Moroney rued, "but we will just go back and take a change - he is very well in himself, we just need luck from that gate."

Enduring an especially tough run at his latest outing in the AJC Derby, Sabrage will be ridden for the first time by Luke Currie. Third in last year's Victoria Derby, he is a horse who can figure right in the thick of things should things go right.

Ballymore will also be saddling up five runners at Flemington on Saturday, kicking off with debutant Epic Choice in the opening event, the Spotless Plate.

"He is a nice staying type," Moroney said of the son of Dylan Thomas whose dam is a half sister to Redoute's Choice.

And he seems to have inherited that champion stallion's temperament - "he is a very laid-back horse but he has shown glimpses of ability in his jump-outs. We just want to give him a run before he goes out to get ready for the spring."

Fitter for his first up run, Shenzhou Steeds takes his place in the Cleanvent Handicap and we are confident of a bold showing.

"He is one of our better chances for the weekend," Moroney enthused.

"He has drawn out (barrier nine of ten) which suits him as he is a horse who has always raced best when he has plenty of room."

Enjoying a 6kg weight drop from his first up run, Shenzhou Steeds will be ridden by Craig Newitt who was also aboard last start.

Sandara is out next Flemington runner up, contesting the James Boag Plate.

Having won his last couple at the provincials in determined fashion, the promising three-year-old heads to town for the first time.

"He is a horse who has really been thriving," said Moroney.

"It is a quality field but we are really happy with his progress - we can't fault him."

Another horse who has come up well is The Deep South, one of our two runners in the Secondbite Handicap over 2000m.

"There was a question mark over him last time in regarding his ability to stay, but he is stronger now and racing more and more like a horse wanting ground."

Close up over 1400m and a mile at his two runs this time in, the son of Darci Brahma will be ridden by Ben Melham and Moroney expects him to make his own luck - "he is a horse who can race right on the speed which is a bonus."

Also up in distance in that race is the lightly raced Major Coup who has shown good ability at his first couple of outings.

"He is still a preparation away but he is a really nice stayer in the making. He is up in class but he is getting up to his right distance and it would not surprise me if he won."

We are also looking forward to our two Gold Coast runners on Saturday, Viking Hero nicely primed having missed out last weekend due to the abandoned Brisbane meeting.

"He will need a bit of luck with topweight and the gate," Moroney said, pointing out that an inside draw is not one that really suits the handsome son of Elvstroem.

"He races better with clear running but he is going well and he is coming off a career best run."

Really catching the eye when storming home late to snare second in the Gr.3 Easter Cup last start, Viking Hero will appreciate the rise in distance and drop in class of the 2200m Zaidee's Rainbow Foundation Handicap.

Also running for us at the Gold Coast is Gr.1 performer Wall Street - a leading contender in the day's feature event, the $300,000 Gr.2 Hollindale Cup.

"He pulled his head off in the Doncaster," Moroney said, admitting that he made a mistake with a change of gear.

"On his previous run," he added, "he is the horse to beat," noting that he was beaten only 2.6 lengths in the Gr.1 Ranvet Stakes.

"There is a slight concern that his main wins have been the other way of going but we see no reason for him not to handle the Queensland way - I think it is just coincidence that he has run below his best that direction on occasions."