Last season’s Victoria Derby winner Ace High sits at the top of the list of 155 nominations for the 2018 Group 1 $2m BMW Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick on day one of The Championships on April 7.

Ace High, above is among the nominations for the 2018 Australian Derby at Randwick. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Ace High, above is among the nominations for the 2018 Australian Derby at Randwick. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

The David Payne trained Ace High was dominant during the 2017 Sydney Spring Carnival with a win in the Group 1 $500,000 Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick and then went on to claim victory in the Group 1 $1.5m AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington on the first day of the 2017 Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Ace High has had one run back from a spell for a first up fifth to Trapeze Artist in the Group 2 $200,000 Sydney Markets Limited Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on February 3 and Payne said that he would take an Autumn Carnival path that could end up with the Australian Derby.

“Ace High will go to the Hobartville Stakes next, then the Randwick Guineas and the Rosehill Guineas,’’ Payne said.

“We then have to decide whether to run him in the (Australian) Derby or the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. I don’t think you can run in both as there is only seven days between them. If Winx doesn’t go to the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, then we would have to target that race. If Winx is running, then we will concentrate on the Derby.’’

Victoria Derby runner up Sully is one of ten three year olds from the Cranbourne stables of former New Zealand trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young nominated for the 2018 Australian Derby.

Godolphin’s Australian trainer James Cummings has nominated Victoria Derby third placegetter Astoria along with Animalia, Ataraxia and Sanctioned.

Sydney’s premiership winning trainer Chris Waller has nominated eleven three year olds for the Australian Derby with the promising D’Argento heading up the strong contingent of emerging young stayers.

The Aaron Purcell trained Thousand Guineas winner Aloisia is one of twelve fillies nominated for the 2018 Australian Derby.

First acceptances for the Australian Derby will be taken on Tuesday March 13 with the final field being released on Tuesday April 3, 2018.

Nominations for the 2018 Australian Derby (2400m)

# Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer
1 x155111x5x ACE HIGH C 3 David Payne
2 AERO DE PARIS (NZ) G 3 Lance O’Sullivan & Andrew Scott
3 2x21x AGE OF FIRE C 3 Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards
4 AGUA CALIENTE C 3 Anthony & Edward Cummings
5 62 ALERO ROSSO (NZ) G 3 Henry Dwyer
6 2x12x5116x ALOISIA (NZ) F 3 Aaron Purcell
7 ALPHA C 3 Michael Kent
8 44138x AMEROCK C 3 Darren Weir
9 3x4213145x ANIMALIA G 3 James Cummings
10 5 ARKAMUN G 3 Tony McEvoy
11 313 ARMED AND READY G 3 Mick Price
12 356x5x ARMS RACE G 3 Kurt Goldman
13 0x315533x3 ASTORIA C 3 James Cummings
14 203x1618x ATARAXIA G 3 James Cummings
15 8x73217x AUGUSTUS C 3 Chris Waller
16 AZABOY (NZ) G 3 Richard Collett
17 9x1x BABY BACK SHAK (NZ) G 3 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
18 8x494021x BASANITE C 3 Robbie Laing
19 112x BELFAST C 3 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
20 BELLE DU NORD (NZ) F 3 Emma-Lee & David Browne
21 8x142223x6 BLACK SAIL (NZ) C 3 Aaron Purcell
22 433823x BOX ON COLLINS G 3 Tony McEvoy
23 432102x BRING ME ROSES F 3 Tony McEvoy
24 67x341x7x BULLET SHOT C 3 Peter & Paul Snowden
25 15 BULLETSON G 3 Bjorn Baker
26 907x CAERUS G 3 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
27 242251x60x CAPITAL GAIN G 3 Paul Butterworth
28 8x211x CHILLY CHA CHA (NZ) F 3 Kris Lees
29 2227×22 CIRCOMO G 3 Anthony Freedman
30 x433141131 CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE (NZ) C 3 Darren Weir
31 1812126x1x CLIFF’S EDGE C 3 Darren Weir
32 3235x21x CONDOR C 3 Paul Perry
33 22x5943x COOL DUDE AUSBRED C 3 Gerald Ryan
34 728x COUTINHO G 3 Anthony Freedman
35 6 CREEDENCE G 3 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
36 2x DANBANA C 3 Nigel Blackiston
37 DANZDANZDANCE F 3 Donna Logan & Chris Gibbs
38 11x1x D’ARGENTO C 3 Chris Waller
39 7x DECROUX G 3 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
40 00252x DELOS (NZ) G 3 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
41 51x2x DELUDE G 3 Danny Williams
42 1x22545x4x ECLAIR SUNSHINE G 3 Phillip Stokes
43 ELGIN (NZ) G 3 Liam Howley
44 2x11142x EMBELLISH (NZ) C 3 Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards
45 ENDOWMENT (NZ) G 3 Donna Logan & Chris Gibbs
46 17x425659x ESHTIRAAK G 3 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
47 49x44x1x EXCELSIOR C 3 Gwenda Markwell
48 EXCLAIM C 3 Michael Kent
49 FLYING FEET C 3 Joseph Waldron
50 15 FOLLOW ON G 3 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
51 22310x FREE FLY TOO G 3 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
52 11x FURORE (NZ) G 3 Kris Lees
53 135x GODUNOV C 3 Gerald Ryan
54 GRIFFIN (NZ) C 3 Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards
55 3x11x GRUNT (NZ) C 3 Mick Price
56 GUNDOWN C 3 Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman
57 36x111x HANG C 3 Ben Currie
58 40x2x HEIR TO THE THRONE (NZ) G 3 Henry Dwyer
59 23x HIGH ENERGY G 3 Darren Weir
60 13x3x HIGH POWER C 3 Kris Lees
61 24131x HIGHER GROUND C 3 Chris Waller
62 5x12343x HIYAAM (NZ) F 3 Mick Price
63 HOTEL AMOUR G 3 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
64 62×5613 HUANGSHAN G 3 Chris Waller
65 IAGO (NZ) G 3 Graeme Rogerson
66 6425x2170x ICON OF DUBAI C 3 Peter & Paul Snowden
67 601608x INTO RIO (NZ) G 3 Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra
68 IRISH FLAME (NZ) G 3 John Wheeler
69 JOE’S LEGACY (NZ) G 3 Jason Price
70 22300x JOHNNY VINKO (NZ) G 3 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
71 7 JUDICIOUS C 3 Michael Kent
72 311x6x KAONIC (NZ) C 3 Chris Waller
73 11x KENTUCKY BREEZE G 3 Levi Kavanagh
74 515 KUGELBLITZ (NZ) G 3 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
75 77x02x LADIES’ GEM G 3 John Sargent
76 42150×2 LANGLEY G 3 John O’Shea
77 LENINGRAD C 3 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
78 4×7 LET’S GO CHAMP C 3 Michael Costa
79 1x1661x5 LEVENDI C 3 Peter Gelagotis
80 2x LIVE AND FREE (NZ) G 3 John O’Shea
81 1366×5 LORD CECIL G 3 Paul Messara
82 LOVE WAVES (NZ) G 3 Anthony & Edward Cummings
83 1776214x LUVALUVA (NZ) F 3 John Sargent
84 8x3x MAGLEV C 3 Michael Kent
85 145x4x MAHALANGUR (NZ) C 3 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
86 3x212135x MAIN STAGE (NZ) G 3 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
87 6x122x5x MEROVEE C 3 Chris Waller
88 066x8405x MISS ADMIRATION F 3 Mick Price
89 MISSION HILL C 3 Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman
90 MONGOLIAN MARSHAL (NZ) C 3 Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman
91 MONGOLIANCONQUEROR (NZ) G 3 Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards
92 133x MONTASER (NZ) C 3 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
93 66x214x42 MR SO AND SO G 3 Anthony Freedman
94 33x9152x3x MURAAQEB C 3 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
95 4x424x NERUDA G 3 Kristen Buchanan
96 5x NORTH AFRIKA G 3 Peter & Paul Snowden
97 OKOTO F 3 Tony Pike
98 5135 OPEN ROAD G 3 John Sargent
99 234x1225x2 OUR MANTRA G 3 Joseph Pride
100 611x PALAZZO VECCHIO F 3 Mick Price
101 312×1 PEACEFUL STATE C 3 Darren Weir
102 6x321227x PERSIAN EMPIRE (NZ) C 3 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
103 6 PHARISEE G 3 Anthony & Edward Cummings
104 05x751644x PISSARO C 3 Robbie Laing
105 PRETENTIOUS MAN G 3 Kristen Buchanan
106 23x PRIMITIVO G 3 John P Thompson
107 56×6 PURE HAWK G 3 Chris Waller
108 12312x0x RANCHO MONTOYA C 3 Stuart Kendrick
109 4146×4 RELLSON (NZ) G 3 Aaron Purcell
110 REMARKABLE SON (NZ) G 3 David Vandyke
111 1x ROAD TO HEAVEN G 3 Kris Lees
112 422165x RUNAWAY R 3 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
113 SACRED DAY (NZ) G 3 Tony Pike
114 12x2273x SALSAMOR (NZ) C 3 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
115 31x322487x SANCTIONED G 3 James Cummings
116 76x SAVABORR (NZ) C 3 David Brideoake
117 20x56104x SAVAHEAT (NZ) C 3 Darren Weir
118 7x2x SAVVY KEN (NZ) C 3 David Brideoake
119 SCOTT BASE (NZ) G 3 Johno Benner
120 SECRET AMBITION (NZ) C 3 Bruce Wallace
121 2x SINGA GLORY (NZ) G 3 Anthony & Edward Cummings
122 7x1413x SKY BOY G 3 Anthony & Edward Cummings
123 SLICK BACK (NZ) G 3 Michael Kent
124 26x2x SMILING MANOLITO G 3 Chris Waller
125 0x4x SO STRONG (NZ) G 3 John O’Shea
126 31×5 SO YOU WIN G 3 Chris Waller
127 SONDELON G 3 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
128 SPOTTO STATUS BOSS G 3 Richard Freedman
129 STARRYBEEL (NZ) C 3 Stephen Marsh
130 23x11432x SULLY (NZ) G 3 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
131 742x TABLE MOUNTAIN G 3 Paul Messara
132 100x94220x TANGLED C 3 Chris Waller
133 74×1 TANGMERE (NZ) C 3 Chris Waller
134 85x61443x TERWILLIKER G 3 Anthony & Edward Cummings
135 353x THE KROC G 3 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
136 THE MAYOR (NZ) G 3 Lance O’Sullivan & Andrew Scott
137 9x THUNDERZONE (NZ) G 3 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
138 TIME LORD (NZ) G 3 Richard Collett
139 TREASURE (NZ) F 3 Tony Pike
140 81x TRIPLE CHOICE G 3 Richard Freedman
141 TRIPLICATE G 3 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
142 121x3x TURNBERRY C 3 Kris Lees
143 49x431x162 VALIANT SPIRIT G 3 Daniel Williams
144 0x0628433x VICTORY IS MINE G 3 Paula Cartledge
145 12235x VIN DE DANCE (NZ) G 3 Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman
146 422x24718x WEATHER WITH YOU G 3 Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman
147 632x WEAVING MAGIC (NZ) F 3 John Sargent
148 121x WETAKEMANHATTAN G 3 Matt Cumani
149 725x3x WHOOMPH C 3 Leon & Troy Corstens
150 3267x WOLFE TONE (NZ) C 3 Francis Finnegan
151 712112 WOLFENDALE G 3 Darren Weir
152 07x1x WON WON TOO (NZ) G 3 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
153 482x YOU GOT IT G 3 Leon & Troy Corstens
154 79x973451x YURALLA BOY G 3 Todd Howlett
155 87x ZU MANTUA C 3 Kristen Buchanan

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