North On The Up For Derby Mission

RICHMOND trainer John Hughes couldn't be happier with his charge North heading into Saturday night's Group 1 Ladbrokes National Derby Final (520m) at Wentworth Park following on from the son of Fernando Bale's all-the-way heat success last Friday in 29.98.

"He's got two speeds this dog off and on – there's not much in between, he's a great little chaser," said a hopeful Hughes on Friday.

"I've never had a dog like him, he does everything flat out, you watch him drag me to the boxes on Saturday night, you can barely hold him – he just loves to race!"

Winner at five of his seven starts – where a strong claim can be made that he should in fact be undefeated – North is a son of mercurial sire Fernando Bale out of Push It, the dam a more than handy chaser for Dean Swain during her racing days, winning 11 races.

"I was checking out the ‘dogs for sale' on the internet one day and saw two pups for sale 10 months of age for $5,000 each. I thought to myself you couldn't rear them for that so I spoke to my brother-in-law Glen McKinley and we decided to buy them and take one each.

"Warren Nicholls was rearing them up in Queensland and he sent them down to us and seriously they looked that good I sent North straight back to Warren so he could finish the rearing and break him in as well. Warren educates them at Ipswich and after his first trial there he said to me he's city class, no need to go any further and he came back to me looking outstanding."

Hughes lines up his second National Derby finalist this Saturday night, 26 years on from Genesis' performance in the time-honored event, won that year by Major Gossip (1993).

Two years later, Hughes tasted success with Fabian in the 1995 Richmond Derby.

"I've been out of it for a while, about 10 years, and when North came along I needed another dog like a whole in the head," joked Hughes.

"It's not about the money or anything for me – it's a bit of fun and I enjoy the night out to the races. No matter what the result Saturday night I'm just happy to be there, but I'll tell you if he steps like he can and finds the front the rest of them will know they're in a race, he's improving with every run. He's about a month away still from being at his peak though.

"The red (Fernando Blaster) looks the dog to beat if he comes out like he did last week but the main thing is they all get around in one piece. Hopefully I can win but if I don't congratulations to who does, everyone puts in a lot of money and hard work so whoever wins it will be thoroughly deserved."