Boom Youngster Lands Epic Queensland Derby

PREMIER breeder-owner, Steve Williams, landed his first Derby winner when boom youngster Sentenced (Jury-Velocity Spice by Bekim Bale) stormed home to win the Group 2 Queensland Derby (520m) at Albion Park on Thursday night.

He ran 29.85 to run down multiple Group winner Farmor Beach to score by a half length with a length and a half to early leader Werina Express in third.

“How good did he go?,” was Williams' statement about his young star. “And how strong is he?”

Sentenced is yet another Group winner from the Tony Brett kennel and Williams was quick to point out the wraps Tony has on the young dog.

“Tony is very excited about him.” said Williams.

But no immediate plans have been made for the dog.

“There are some very nice races coming up at Albion park within the next month or two and we could certainly look to those at home for him.” said Williams.

“In fact, there's a nice fifth grade heat and final series just next week.”

Williams is bullish about the prospects of Sentenced's sire Jury at stud.

Jury (Cosmic Chief-Velocity Sheba by College Causeway) stands in South Australia with Ben Weidenbach at a fee of $1350. Ben and his wife Louise Bower run two vet clinics in South Australia.

Williams has stood by his own dog and Sentenced is the initial result.

Jury retired the winner of 14 races and was placed 11 times from 38 starts earning $305,000 in stakes.

He was the premier sprinter in the land in 2017 when he won the Group 1 National Sprint. He followed that with victory in the Group 2 Lismore Gold Cup, and then backed up in 2018 to win the Group 1 Winter Cup at Albion Park. He was also a finalist in the Ipswich Gold Cup.

His littermates include Velocity Lilly a finalist in the Group 1 National Distance.

Their granddam Velocity Zoom is a litter sister to Williams' champion Glen Gallon (37 wins, $619,000) who still holds the record of 15 Group 1 finals berths.

Glen Gallon is the damsire of Flying Ricciardo the winner of Thursday night's Group 1 Dapto Megastar.

* Pic courtesy Box 1 Photography