Pepperwood into Qld Derby calculations

Trainer Liam Birchley is looking forward to his first Queensland Derby starter with Pepperwood, a horse bred to be a sprinter.

The three-year-old has had a mixed career so far but things came together in Saturday's Mitty's Classic Plate (1615m) to keep Birchley's Derby dream alive.

Pepperwood has been plagued with bad barrier draws and bad luck throughout his short career and the victory was just his second from 14 career starts.

Birchley will now test him at 2020m in the Rough Habit Plate on May 24 as his lead-up to the Derby (2400m) two weeks later.

"I won't say for sure he will go to the Derby until he shows me he can settle over the longer trip," Birchley said.

"He's by Easy Rocking but he doesn't have the build of a sprinter, he's more in the mould of a stayer and I'll give him his chance to stay at his next few runs.

"He's never drawn an alley throughout his career and again he didn't get things his own way. He was three deep throughout but he was just too good for them."

Easy Rocking was a quality sprinter who finished second to Mr. Innocent in the Doomben 10,000 eight years ago before winning the Salinger Stakes later that year.

Confidently ridden by the in-form Glen Colless, Pepperwood ($5.50) covered plenty of ground during the run but blew his rivals away when he sprinted at the top of the straight.

Gold Coast filly My Joliene ($17) ran a bold race to claim second, 2-1/4 lengths from the winner, at just her fourth career start.

The highly-rated Formula One Racer ($8) did his Derby claims no harm when he worked home to finish a further neck third after travelling worse than midfield.

Colless said Pepperwood was a nightmare horse to ride but added he thought the horse would stay given the right run during the race.

"He'll stay, I'm certain about that," Colless said.

"But he'll need to get cover and relax, he's a very hard horse to ride."

Pepperwood is now a $13 chance for the Group One Derby with Moatize currently the $7 favourite with TAB Sportsbet while Formula One Racer is at $16.

Although still a maiden, the Bart Cummings-trained Moatize has recorded three seconds from his four starts including his latest when runner-up to Rockwood in the Group Three Frank Packer Plate.

He was considered the unluckiest horse in the Tulloch Stakes at his previous start when 10th, eight lengths behind stablemate Book of Kells.

After that run Cummings decided to miss the AJC Australian Derby with Moatize and set him for the Queensland classic which he won last year with Empire's Choice.