Party Crasher set for Queensland Derby tilt after comfortable Morphettville win
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Murray Bridge handler Michael Hickmott has his sights set on the Queensland Derby with rising stayer Party Crasher after the gelding scored a commanding win at Morphettville on Saturday.
Settling fifth off a slow tempo, Party Crasher hugged the rail in the field of seven, before a move at the 800m saw jockey Jake Toeroek swing out, latching on to the back of High Society Girl.
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The Kiwi gelding peeled off heels at the 500m, charging away with a two-length win over 2250m.
Hickmott laid bare his grand plans for the gelding post-race, while his initial ploy was to bypass Saturday's Adelaide run in favour of a Handicap (2000m) at Flemington.
'I actually thought he would win at Flemington today, I said to the guys 'we'll just accept in Adelaide just in case he draws 20 at Flemington', he drew 19,' Hickmott said.
'Poor old Joey Bowditch, I think he was more upset than anyone. I needed to run him today with the thought of going to Queensland with him in two weeks.
'Todd (Pannell) was the one who identified the Queensland Derby awhile ago, Adelaide Cup Day was a good indicator, today is probably a better one.
'Not heaps went right, they walked, sprinted up quick, he looks like he's going to run 2400m and if it's a wet track he'll get even better.'
It was a third race win for the son of Ocean Park, who is yet to finish further back than second in five career starts.
The Group 1 $1m Queensland Derby (2400m) will be run at Eagle Farm on May 31.
'A lot of credit to Josh my nephew who works with me, he was the one who pushed me to buy this horse out of New Zealand,' he said.
'He syndicated him to a great group of clients, we've got a good crew of people in him, we're gonna have a lot of fun.
'I think the phone will be going off in a minute, Toddy will want to know when his tickets for Queensland are getting booked.'
Party Crasher's win was the first of a training double for Hickmott, who later secured success with Synchro in a Handicap (1400m).
Blue-blood filly Esha upstaged heavily-backed favourite Chisholm in Saturday's opener, the daughter of Extreme Choice was a $900,000 purchase at the 2024 Magic Millions Yearling Sale on the Gold Coast.
The two-year-old was nicely handled by Jess Tzaferis, who made it a successful hit and run mission for Mornington trainer Shane Nichols.
Stakes winner Colmar returned to racing in emphatic style for trainers Ron Daniel and Trish Stanbury. The son of Strasbourg ran away with an impressive two and a half length win under Connor Murtagh in a Benchmark 72 Handicap (1300m).
Sir Now was also a dominant winner of a Benchmark 78 (1000m). The Darryl Hewitt-trained gelding dispatched a quality field of sprinters under the riding of Maggie Collett.
In-form hoop Ben Price secured riding honours on Saturday's nine-race card with victories aboard Synchro and Merchant Boss.
Originally published as Party Crasher set for Queensland Derby tilt after comfortable Morphettville win
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