News

Derby riches await bargain buy Polanski

22nd Oct 2013

ABC News - Daniel Franklin - Saturday, 19 October 2013

The riches of the Victoria Derby now await bargain buy Polanski after his victory in the Norman Robinson Stakes at Caulfield.

Bought by trainer Robbie Lang for just $4,000, Polanski underlined his credentials for next month's blue riband by relishing the step up to 2,000 metres on Saturday.

He outstayed Darley's San Diego in a driving finish to post a time two seconds quicker than the fillies in the Ethereal Stakes a race earlier.

The first two gapped the others; Epic Saga finished four lengths away in third.

Lang said he had no qualms taking on the big guns in the Derby with the colt by Rakti.

"He looks like a $250,000 colt ... after he was broken in he really developed and is a terrific-looking horse," he said of Polanski, who added to his win in the Super Impose Stakes last start.

"Everyone in the stable knew he'd improved three to four lengths on that, and I thought he was close to a good thing today.

"Obviously the second horse is a good colt and he'll be hard to beat on Derby day, and there's a few Sydney colts running next week, so the race is just taking shape."

Polanski won under Hugh Bowman, and Lang said he would talk to the horse's owners about whether he or regular partner Dean Yendall would take the Derby ride.

Yendall will put Dark Thunder through it paces for Lang in the Geelong Derby Trial on Wednesday.