ATC Derby Review: Record A Dundeel

It's A Dundeel decimated his rivals in the ATC Derby

New Zealand three-year-old It's A Dundeel created history at Randwick on Saturday taking the G1 ATC Australian Derby (2400m) in sensational style, romping home by six lengths under double wraps...

It's A Dundeel became the first horse to win the Randwick Guineas-Rosehill Guineas-ATC Derby treble since the Randwick Guineas over 1600m replaced the Canterbury Guineas as the first leg of the triple crown in 2006.

He joins Moorland (1943), Martello Towers (1959), Imagele (1973) and Octagonal (1996) as the only five horses in history to have won the triple crown.

It's A Dundeel also joined Fairway (2000 - Timeform rated 123) and Universal Prince (2001- 124) as the only three-year-olds to have taken the Spring Champion Stakes - ATC Derby double in the last 20 years. Prior to that only Beau Zam (1988) and Kingston Town (1980) had completed the double.

Under James McDonald, It's A Dundeel settled down near the tail of the field but made a fast move approaching the home turn to get on the back of his main rival Philippi, turning as the widest runner of all in the ten horse classic. It's A Dundeel was travelling so easily that he pulled his way to the lead and bolted away from Philippi winning untouched recording one of the easiest Group 1 wins in history, his six lengths margin the biggest in the Derby since the Tommy Smith-trained Prince Grant scored by eight lengths in 1965.

As with most of the three-year-old classics this season, the Derby lacked depth making the assessment more difficult. For example third placed Kingdoms has won just a maiden while fourth placed Gerontius has won a maiden and a restricted 72 race.

That aside, It's A Dundeel was found to have run to a new Timeform rating of 127+, a figure well above the five year winning average Timeform rating for the race but well within the possible values suggested by historical race analysis.

At that level It's A Dundeel is the highest rated ATC Derby winner in the last 20 years, eclipsing the previous highest rated winner Octagonal in 1996 who ran to a Timeform rating of 126.

It's A Dundeel started a firm favourite at 1.24, the second shortest priced favourite to win the Derby since the mighty Kingston Town who was sent off at 1.22 in 1980.

Kiwi trainer Murray Baker ranks It's A Dundeel the best horse he has trained, quite a statement considering he has prepared outstanding gallopers The Phantom, My Eagle Eye, Lion Tamer and Nom De Jeu, but a view also supported by Timeform ratings.

Baker is considering a possible start in the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) under weight-for-age conditions on the final day of the carnival before a spell and a spring campaign targeting the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup.

Runner-up Philippi improved slightly on his Tulloch Stakes Timeform rating running to 116 up three pounds to a new master figure but even at that level was no match for the winner.

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