Interest fails to rekindle form

By Paul Pickering
EMERGING Cranbourne stayer Rekindled Interest was denied its first Group 1 victory in Saturday’s Victoria Derby at Flemington.
The Jim Conlon-trained three-year-old started as a $3.80 favourite after the previous weekend’s win in the Group 2 AAMI Vase at Mooney Valley, but couldn’t match the likes of Kiwi mudlark and runaway winner Lion Tamer.
Rekindled Interest – by champion sire Redoute’s Choice – was far from disgraced in the heavy going, battling on into fifth place in his first attempt at the 2500m journey.
Meanwhile, Greg Eurell’s four-year-old gelding Red Colossus revelled in the wet conditions in the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes, defying its status as the rank outsider of the field to pass the post fifth behind the peerless So You Think.
The underrated bay was in elite company at the finish, with 2009 Melbourne Cup winner Shocking a length further back in sixth. Eurell has nominated him for the 2000m 7mate Handicap on Emirates Stakes Day.
In other Derby Day action, Cranbourne pair Gothic Crown and Stanstill kissed their slim chances of a Melbourne Cup start goodbye when they finished 10th and 11th in the Group 1 Lexus Stakes.
The Cup hopefuls, trained by Todd Balfour and Mick Kent respectively, needed to win to qualify for the big race, but never looked likely to stay the 2500m trip.
There was some joy for the Cranbourne contingent on Tuesday, with Robbie Laing-trained two-year-old Spectrolite scoring in the opening race, the Listed AGL Solar Power Stakes.
The filly made quite an impression in her first competitive hit-out, winning by a half-length over the 1000m straight sprint. Robbie Griffiths’ Manor Lady finished fourth and Eric Musgrove’s Coronet Bay 12th in the same race.
A third placing for Colin and Cindy Alderson’s Perturbo in the 1200m ninth race was the only other success to speak of for the locals.