Jumal and Blair Orange hottest of favourites for Friday's Northern Derby

By Michael Guerin

Star three-year-old Jumal has had a surprise driver change for Friday night’s $200,000 Woodlands Stud Northern Derby at Alexandra Park and new driver Blair Orange says he knows exactly how former driver Samantha Ottley feels after losing the drive.

Ottley has been on Jumal in all 11 career starts for nine wins and two placings, including winning both the Two and Three-Year-Old Harness Millions and the Group 1 Diamond Creek Farm Stakes this time last year.

But with those two defeats coming in his last five starts, including last start when he sat parked from the bell against older pacers at Addington, the connections of Jumal has opted to make the change to the country’s leading reinsman.

“I am obviously happy to get on a really good horse but I feel for Sam,” says Orange.

“But that is part of being a freelance driver and it happens to all of us.

“It has happened to me this week. I have lost the drive of We Walk By Faith who has been my open class drive all season.”

Matthew White, who drove We Walk By Faith to win the Taylor Mile last season, will reunite with him in this Friday’s Roy Purdon Memorial, leaving Orange without a drive in that Group 1.

“Nothing surer I will lose drives in the future I want to keep and you just get on with it,” says Orange.

“It is part of racing.”

Orange appears to have been handed the reins at the perfect time with Jumal drawn barrier 1 for the Derby, one of four Group 1s at Alexandra Park this Friday.

That has seen the TAB open him an incredibly short $1.16 to win the Derby as many will be predicting an all-the-way win, especially as no real challenger has emerged in the male three-year-old pacing ranks.

Trainer Steven Reid took Jumal to Rangiora for a private workout last Friday with Orange in the sulky and the pair were happy with his performance so he will run through many punter’s multis on Friday.

While his We Walk By Faith sacking means Orange, who is on track to win his ninth national driver’s premiership, won’t be driving in Friday’s open class pace he still finds himself on the favourite in two other Group 1s on Friday, although one of those could change.

He partners Secret Wish, favourite for the $100,000 Pascoes Northern Oaks, but she has drawn the second line and while she opened the $2.80 favourite it wouldn’t surprise to see her replaced at the head of the market by Cath before Friday. 

“My filly is very fast and the 2700m will help her trying to overcome the second line draw but I think Cath will be very hard to beat,” says Orange.

Orange also partners Kyvalley Ray, the $1.65 favourite for the $120,000 IRT Sires’ Stakes Trot Championship after his Harness Million win last Friday.

He was clearly too good for favourite Our Col last Friday in what was the latter’s first defeat and Kyvalley Ray is drawn to lead again from barrier 2 but with Our Col at barrier 1 this time.

The latter looks an outstanding talent but she will need to find her best form to run down Kyvalley Ray on Friday even if she is able to hold his back at the start, which is no guarantee with the talented Petite Armour drawn barrier 3.

“He [Kyvalley Ray] isn’t the finished product yet and still has some strengthening up in his gait to come but he is pretty good,” says Orange.

Friday night :

Race 5: $120,000 IRT Sires’ Stakes Trot, Group 1
Race 6: $100,000 Pascoes Northern Oaks, Group 1
Race 7: $100,000 Barry Purdon Racing Stakes, Roy Purdon Memorial, Group 1
Race 8: $200,000 Woodlands Stud Northern Derby, Group 1

To see Friday's fields click here