Imported youngster to further Derby quest

Sunday 6 May 2018, 4:09pm

Unbeaten Furrion will attempt to press forward with Queensland Derby plans when he runs in a three-year-old race at Caulfield.

The Darren Weir-trained import is unbeaten in three starts and is expected to line up over 2000m on Saturday.

He made a winning debut at Stawell and scored at Ballarat before making it three straight during last week's Warrnambool carnival.

Furrion was bought at the Tattersall's Yearling Sale at Newmarket in 2016 by John Foote and sent to Australia to be broken in and for his early education.

Weir, who racked up another Group One win on Saturday with Sopressa in the Australasian Oaks, said the gelding, by dual European Derby winner Camelot, had shown promise from day one.

"He's still six months behind the other three-year-olds," Weir said.

"He's a nice staying horse but he just needs to switch off a bit more."

Weir said Furrion would stay in Melbourne to run over 2000m at Caulfield on Saturday and then over 2100m at Sandown a fortnight later with the intention to head to Brisbane for the Queensland Derby at Doomben on June 9.

Foote also bought fellow Warrnambool carnival winner Fifty Stars in Europe as a yearling while previous purchases include Last Week and Signoff.

They are raced by Gerry Ryan who had Melbourne Cup success in 2010 with Americain.

Weir said Furrion reminded him a lot of a young Signoff who went on to run fourth in the 2014 Melbourne Cup behind Protectionist.

"Signoff was the first one he (Foote) bought for us and then there was Last Week and then these two," Weir said.

"He also got another one that's a promising staying horse.

"He tries to buy one or two every year and hopefully he can do a bit more of it.

"We've had them in the system for a while, been patient, and hopefully that will reward us down the track."

– AAP

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