01 April 2026
Road To Paris out to add to stable’s Derby tally
Roger James and Robert Wellwood will take aim at one of the few missing pieces on an already glittering Sydney résumé when Road To Paris (NZ) (Circus Maximus) lines up in Saturday’s Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick.
Few New Zealand trainers have enjoyed more success on Australian soil than James, whose Sydney raids have yielded multiple elite-level victories including the Vinery Stud Stakes, Ranvet Stakes and Tancred Stakes.
Yet the Australian Derby remains an elusive prize, one the veteran horseman would dearly love to claim, especially given his reputation for Derby excellence.
Road To Paris earned his shot at Randwick with a strong victory in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) last month, the seventh winner of the race for the stable, with the trophy cabinet also featuring Pinarello’s (NZ) (Tavistock) 2022 Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) triumph.
Road To Paris touched down in Sydney on Tuesday night and has settled in well ahead of his biggest test to date.
“He arrived at about 10:30pm last night and he was ready to go when he left home,” James said. “He will just trot and canter for the next few days and line up on Saturday.”
Barrier 10 in a field of 13 presents a challenge, but James is comfortable that the gelding’s racing pattern will allow him to find his rhythm.
“Had he drawn better we might have raced a little bit handier, but his natural way is to find his feet anyway, and that's probably what we're forced to do from the draw.”
Champion Hong Kong jockey Zac Purton has been booked to ride, adding further strength to the stable’s Derby push.
“Those guys like Zac, they do a tremendous amount of homework,” James said. “So he will come prepared, and I can just fill him in with a little bit of background on the horse. He can be a bit quirky in his races and in trackwork.”
A genuine staying type with a valuable turn of foot, Road To Paris is rated a $10 chance in a market headed by Godolphin-owned pair Green Spaces (Street Boss) ($3.20) and Observer (Ghaiyyath) ($3.30).
His rise has also helped propel his Windsor Park Stud-based sire Circus Maximus into the spotlight, with the young sire already producing multiple stakes winners from his first crop, including a Derby winner.
“To win a Derby in his first crop is something that any stud or stud master would be pretty proud of,” James said.
Regardless of the result on Saturday, the Randwick assignment is expected to be the final run of the campaign for the still-maturing three-year-old who is raced by his Queensland owner-breeders Ron and Judi Wanless.
“I would think this would be the last run of the season. He's already had a Derby build-up in New Zealand and you can go to the well too often with them while they are still maturing,” James said.
“He’s booked on a flight home on Tuesday night and I hope he puts his best foot forward.” - NZ Racing Desk
Linebacker eyes Doncaster Redemption
The John O’Shea and Tom Charlton-trained Linebacker (NZ) (Super Seth) will be out for redemption in the Gr.1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) on Saturday, where the son of Super Seth carries 53kgs.
The gelding fluffed his lines when slow to begin in the feature handicap last year and was a tragedy beaten and the Gr.1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) winner has been building in his two starts this campaign.
“He has been good all preparation,” Charlton said. “His run in the Canterbury Stakes (Gr.1, 1300m) was excellent when seventh. He just missed the break a bit and ended up a pair further back than we thought.
“Last start in the George Ryder (Gr.1, 1500m), he got himself in a good position in a much quicker run race and a testing 1500m.
“He didn’t run badly but he was probably slightly below his best, which he can do second-up. He also had a really good blow after it and felt the pinch.
“Take out the winner (Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun)), who is on a different level to everything, he wasn’t far off the next best milers and now we get a significant weight drop in the Doncaster. We are happy with his progress, he looks stronger and his coat has come on.”
Fresh off a four-timer last weekend, star rider Zac Lloyd sticks with Linebacker in the Doncaster.
“We are keen to not miss the break and get back and in a dictated position,” Charlton said
“The positives for Linebacker are that he is a better Randwick horse with a good record at a mile and he was quite unlucky in this race last year. I do think he would have won if he had executed the first part of the race.”
Meanwhile, Charlton is pleased with the way unbeaten filly Satono Glow (NZ) (Satono Aladdain) has bounced through her victory in the Gr.3 Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes (1200m) at Flemington last Saturday, with the daughter of Satono Aladdin likely to step out in the A$1 million Percy Sykes (1200m) on Day 2 of The Championships.
“It was a really enjoyable win,” Charlton said. “She’s a very natural filly. She's still pretty raw and I don't think she really knows what she's doing at the moment, which is encouraging as there is more to come.
“One of the most pleasing aspects is that when she wins the race, she wins it in a couple of strides. That's probably a sign of a filly that's got plenty to offer, so she is an exciting filly going forward.”
Charlton said it was at the behest of O’Shea that the filly was sent to Melbourne for the black-type opportunity.
“John was really keen to go for the Thoroughbred Breeders and fair play to him, it’s obviously worked out well,” Charlton said.
“We saw her come off the truck on Monday morning and weighed her a couple of hours later and she'd only lost a few kilos from the week before.
“She's just got the most beautiful demeanour and that is a big help. We're really pleased with how she's come through the run and at this stage, we'll run in the Percy Sykes next Saturday.”
Bred by Sydney doctor Phil Chen, Satono Glow is out of the Pins mare Electrode (NZ), making her a half-sister to multiple Group Two performer Kitty Flash (NZ) (Kitty Flash).
Satono Glow was sold out of Windsor Park Stud’s draft at Karaka for $260,000 to O’Shea Charlton Racing and James Bester Bloodstock. - NZ Racing Desk
Dennis Ryan
Paul Vettise
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