Sennachie's Sons Out To Emulate Dad In Derby

SENNACHIE'S sons Hara's Herbie and Jay Is Jay will bid to emulate their illustrious sire when they run for Derby glory at Albion Park on Thursday night.

Sennachie (Fernando Bale-Rhonda Rocks) was on his way to stardom when he ran 29.53 and scored by seven and a half lengths to win the 2019 G2 Queensland Derby final over Bad Benny and King Cratos.

FIELDS AND FORM ALBION PARK THURSDAY NIGHT

It was to be his first Group victory but he would soon add G1 victories in the Brisbane Cup, Maturity and Gold Bullion and grab the track record at Albion Park in a scorching 29.38 on his way to 19 wins and $696,000 in stakes.

Jemma Daley-trained Hara's Herbie (Sennachie-Hara's Annie) and Selena Zammit-trained Jay Is Jay (Sennachie-Kealoah) are two of the top chances for Derby glory on Thursday night.

Early markets have Hara's Herbie favourite just ahead of Jay Is Jay.

Topsport has Hara's Herbie at $2.30 and Jay Is Jay at $5.

Jay Is Jay at 29.59 is easily the quickest of the eight finalists for the Derby.

Already, Sennachie is the sire of the winners of $1.7 million and his winners to runners stats show him with an 18.3 percentage.

Daley acknowledges Hara's Herbie is boxed perfectly in the red.

It was the box he had when winning the G2 Ipswich Gold Cup four runs back in November.

“It's the right draw at the right time,” said Jemma.

Herbie is running in his third Group final from just 31 starts having also been in the G3 Townsville Cup final back in September.

Jemma says her dog has “flown under the radar” of some judges.

“He's won 10 races and earned $158,000,” she pointed out.

“He had no luck in the Townsville Cup final, then ran 30.19 to win the Ipswich Cup.

“And he ran 29.84 to win his Derby heat last week off a wide draw.

“He's boxed to stay out of trouble in the final and he has great early pace.”

Jemma pointed to Reg Gardoll's Starline Express as the hardest to beat.

“He is obviously a very good young dog who has never had much luck with box draws but gets the job done,” she said.

“He might not be that strong at the finish just yet, but he is very good.”

She also rates Jay Is Jay which Herbie downed by a length in  last week's heat, as hard to beat.

“He looks like he will get a good cart across the field and into the race,” she said.