Keith Ferrel will live every owner’s dream when he heads to the first day of The Championships at Randwick with three runners, two of them in Group 1 races.
The New Zealand-born Ferrel is a part-owner of War Eternal, who will contest the ATC Australian Derby (2400m), Rule Of Law who tackles the TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) and Savvy Valentino in the Chairman’s Quality (2600m).
All three are trained by Bjorn Baker, who Ferrel has been supporting since he first opened a stable in Sydney.
“We were on a shoestring (budget) then, but since then it has been good,” Ferrel said.
“I think I’ve got well over twenty horses with him now so it’s a lot of fun and they’re a fun stable.
“It’s huge, three horses on a day like The Championships. I never ever thought that would happen to me.”
Rule Of Law strung together five wins in succession during the summer and early autumn and it took Shelby Sixtysix to end his streak in the Maurice McCarten Stakes two starts ago.
When he was unplaced in the Galaxy, Baker sent Rule Of Law for a spell but had change of heart when the likes of Home Affairs and Lost And Running were ruled out of the T J Smith.
“He rang on Sunday and said, ‘this T J Smith field is dropping away, I might bring him back in’,” Ferrel said.
“So he brought him back in on Sunday, he worked really well (Tuesday) morning. He was only out in the paddock for a week-and-a-half so it wouldn’t have done him any harm.
“He’s going to line up and he doesn’t mind the wet track either.”
War Eternal has been building nicely towards the Derby, having finished a handy fourth to Converge in the Randwick Guineas and a fighting third in the Alister Clark Stakes at Moonee Valley last start.
Ferrel thinks he could be the forgotten horse.
“Damian Lane rode him (last start) and he’s riding him again on Saturday and he said that he was just under the pump at the 600 or 700 but he just never gives it away,” Ferrel said.
“He just keeps on fighting and fighting which will hold him in good stead here and the wet track won’t worry him.”
Savvy Valentino needs to lift on his recent form but is expected to relish the 2600m journey, and the heavy conditions.