Duckworth Lewis likely to duck Derby

12th Dec 2011

The field looked nowhere near as strong as when he finished fifth of 16 in the Levin Classic between times.

Duckworth Lewis (NZ) certainly looked like living up to the billing when, after setting the pace, he dashed clear of his closest rivals 250m out. But in the final 100m his nearest pursuer, Forgive No Forget (NZ) (Darci Brahma) was joined by Barney (NZ) (Duelled), coming strongly along the rail, and Zonza (Zabeel), rushing home wide out.

Duckworth Lewis (NZ)

At the line Duckworth Lewis (NZ) had just a short head to spare over Zonza (NZ), with half a length to Barney (NZ) and a nose to Forgive No Forget (NZ). Still, a win is a win and Duckworth Lewis (NZ), a three-year-old bay gelding by Postponed (Summer Squall) from Ms Magenta (NZ), by Groom Dancer (Blushing Groom), has now notched three of them from 14 starts and extended his earnings past NZ$100,000.

Optimism is pretty much an essential ingredient of racing ownership; just about everyone whose budding stayer scores a distance win starts dreaming about a Tuesday early in November, while those with a three-year-old that wins at 1600m or more in the first half of the season starts getting notions about a Derby – in our case, the New Zealand Derby.

Such dreams are not only free but, indeed, admirable. If you're not going to dream the dream, why bother owning a horse in the first place?

Nonetheless it's refreshing at times to find optimism tinged by realism and this was very much the case when Leo Molloy, trainer of Duckworth Lewis (NZ), was asked by an interviewer if the New Zealand Derby would be on the menu.

“I don't really see this horse as a Derby horse,” said Molloy. “He's more likely to tackle the older horses at weight-for-age again. The older horses around at the moment look easier than the best three-year-olds.”

That may be fair comment. Certainly Molloy, who has made a notable impact since taking up training at Byerley Park, Karaka, is a sharp and intelligent observer of the racing game. He will have noticed that Postman's Daughter (NZ) (Postponed) and Dawn Ghost (NZ) (Pyrus), the older horses who filled the placings – but soundly enough beaten – behind Duckworth Lewis (NZ) when he won the WFA Te Hana Sparkling Stakes at Ellerslie on November 1, have gone on to win the Counties Cup and Waikato Cup respectively.

Maybe our weight-for-age ranks are a bit thin at the moment. Maybe owners of weight-for-age hopefuls with Ellerslie's Zabeel Classic in mind should be keeping an eye out for the three-year-old whose connections have that very race (rather than the Derby) in their sights. After all, Duckworth Lewis (NZ) has already been there and done that.

Postponed will be represented by Lot 309, 8 Select and 5 Festival lots at the NZB National Yearling Sales Series beginning January 30.