5 Jun 2009
The rise-and-rise of Cambridge Stud's
Viking Ruler
continued in sensational style at Eagle Farm today when Court Ruler recorded a dour staying performance to win the A$505,000 BMW Queensland Derby 3YO Plate-Gr.1 (2400m)(6.6.09)
It represented
Viking Ruler's first Group One winner and comes hard off the back of some excellent form by the progeny of the sire, including Kroner's recent Listed Race win in Sydney and Naadji's impressive performance at Flemington last Saturday.
Court Ruler won the Trentham Stakes-Gr.3 (2100m) against the older horses earlier in the season and looked a three-year-old of quality when running fourth in the $2.2m Telecom Derby at Ellerslie at the beginning of March.
Court Ruler is prepared by John Wheeler who purchased the horse for $30,000 at the 2007 Karaka Select Sale from the consignment of Cheveley Stud.
The dam is Free Court, a Pompeii Court mare who won 8 races and is the dam of four winners to date. Interestingly enough, this is the immediate family of Black Piranha, who won the A$1 million Stradbroke Handicap some 40 minutes before Court Ruler stepped out in the Derby.