Lord Olympus Class Drop in Darby McCarthy

Super impressive when winning the Listed Mick Dittman Stakes two starts back before finishing fourth in the Gr3 Gold Coast Guineas last time out, the Mark Newnham-trained Lord Olympus (Olympic Glory-Lady Zabelia, by Zabeel) steps back in class to contest Saturday’s IPG Marketing Solutions Darby McCarthy (1110m), a quality race which easily equates to stakes quality. Already a winner of five of his ten starts, coupled with two placed performances, the 3YO gelding is a well-travelled runner with his last four starts being at Flemington, Rosehill, Doomben and the Gold Coast, where the Darby Racing syndicated galloper has yet to finish further back than fifth. Sold for $70,000 from the draft of Arrowfield Stud at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale to Darby Racing, the syndicators have an affinity with the family, having also purchased and raced the half-brother Time For War (Snitzel), a Group 2 winner on the track before a stud career that resulted in just two crops before his premature death. From those two crops, his most successful runner was the Darby Racing-purchased and raced Time To Reign, the Group 2-winning half-brother (on debut at Kingstar Farm in 2021)  to Gr1 Golden Slipper winner She Will Reign (Manhattan Rain). Interestingly, the race favourite is the Matthew Dunn-trained Rocketing By (So You Think -Across The Moon, by Stratum) who finished behind Lord Olympus last time out, while another well in the market is the Annabel Neasham-trained Wisdom Of Water (Headwater-Regal Tier, by Royal Academy) who finished a strong third in he Listed Goldmarket behind Baller (High Chaparral).