Karaka 1,2,3,4 in Queensland Derby Lead Up

Saint Minerva headed a Karaka quadrella in Queensland on Saturday to win the Group 3 QTC Grand Prix Stakes (2200m), a lead up race to the Group 1 Queensland Derby, by an explosive six lengths.

Ridden by Victorian-based Craig Williams, Saint Minerva (Galileo x Amicable, by Last Tycoon,) jumped from restricted grade to Group 3 glory. The lightly-tried filly lead home Group 1 West Australian Derby winner Markus Maximus (Pentire x Shafty Lady by Last Tycoon), The Grogoch (Tobougg x Kiri Belle by Danzatore) and Kincaple (Pentire x Kincaple Lass by Kaapstad).

The winner was however in a league of her own on a day which featured the Group 1 Queensland Oaks, running four wide in stages of the journey before sprinting clear to victory and thrilling the racing public in the process.

It was Saint Minerva's   third victory in seven career starts, winning her last start at Ipswich over 1710m, while her first win came a little more than a month ago over 1200m.

The filly described as "one of the best I have trained" by Alan Bailey, made it two key Group 1 Queensland Derby lead-up race victories for Karaka 2007 Ready to Run Sale graduates after Rockdale (Danroad) scored in the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate (2020m) in Brisbane last weekend.

Saint Minerva was prepared for the Sale by Steve and Lisa Dunbar of Timberlee Thoroughbreds at their newly developed property near Morrinsville, and she brought $160,000 to the bid of Bailey. A direct descendant of Group 1 Ellerslie Championship Stakes winner Sheralee (Sovereign Edition), the filly joins Hong Kong Group 2 winner More Bountiful (Van Nistelrooy) as Group winners from the family this season.

Bailey has decided to spell Saint Minerva immediately with a spring racing preparation in mind. Her defection from the Group 1 Queensland Derby on June 6 still sees six Kiwis making up the current top ten current favourites for the $500,000 event headed by Rodney Douglas' Larry's Never Late (Pentire) and John Morrisey's  Group 1 winner Rockdale.